Preview: West Ham United vs Brentford - prediction, team news, lineups

London rivals West Ham United and Brentford bring the curtain down on the fifth round of the FA Cup with an all-Premier League derby at the London Stadium on Monday evening.

The Irons rode their luck against Burton Albion in the previous round of the competition, while the Bees ended Macclesfield's knockout dream to make it this far.

Match preview

While West Ham have a top-flight status to maintain, FA Cup glory is unlikely to be an immediate priority for Nuno Espirito Santo and co, and the former Conference League winners have not fully convinced in the 2025-26 edition so far.

Indeed, Monday's hosts could only post one-goal victories over Queens Park Rangers and Burton Albion so far, and they required extra time - and, more specifically, a 95th-minute Crysencio Summerville strike - to get the better of the latter in round four.

This particular stage of the competition has not been kind to the Hammers in recent years, though, as they have lost each of their last three FA Cup fifth-round ties - all on the spin from 2021 to 2023 - since last reaching the quarter-finals a decade ago.

However, the overall picture is looking far rosier for Santo's relegation scrappers, who boast a praiseworthy six victories and just two defeats from their last 10 matches in all competitions, most recently edging out Fulham 1-0 in their last top-flight affair.

While still below the dreaded dotted line in the Premier League table, the rejuvenated Hammers are just one point worse off than Nottingham Forest and crisis club Tottenham Hotspur, thanks also in part to a four-game unbeaten run at the London Stadium.

Albeit not quite in the exact same order as West Ham, Monday's visitors Brentford coincidentally come into the fifth-round clash with an identical set of results from their last six games - three wins, two draws and one defeat across all competitions.

One of those successes saw the Bees avoid the same fate that befell FA Cup holders Crystal Palace, as Keith Andrews's men passed an especially tricky Macclesfield test, but they needed a second-half own goal to send the non-league side packing.

Nevertheless, Brentford have now reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time as a Premier League team, but the Bees are also on a three-match winless run at this stage of the competition, last progressing further all the way back in 1989.

A couple more cracks have appeared since an uninspiring win at Macclesfield, though; a home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, a near-almighty collapse at Burnley and a forgettable goalless stalemate with Bournemouth on their last away day.

However, the latter result extended Brentford's unbeaten run on the road to five games, and the European dream remains alive for Andrews's men, who also eased past West Ham 2-0 at the London Stadium in October's top-flight tussle.

West Ham United FA Cup form:

West Ham United form (all competitions):

Brentford FA Cup form:

Brentford form (all competitions):

Team News

West Ham's assignment at Burton Albion was made more difficult by Freddie Potts's sending-off, but as the midfielder has served his punishment in Premier League action, he is fine to feature in the cup.

However, Santo quintessentially offered no guarantees on the condition of Pablo Felipe - who is struggling with a calf issue - while Lukasz Fabianski, a hero of Arsenal's 2014 FA Cup triumph, is nursing a back problem.

With Manchester City to come five days later, Santo may consider a few alterations to his starting lineup - music to the ears of Alphonse Areola and Soungoutou Magassa in particular.

On Brentford's end, Andrews confirmed the sobering news of another Rico Henry injury setback; the defender pulled his hamstring in the draw with Bournemouth and will spend several weeks on the sidelines at least.

Henry joins long-term knee victims Fabio Carvalho, Antoni Milambo and Josh Dasilva in the medical bay, as well as Aaron Hickey (thigh) and Vitaly Janelt (ankle), but Reiss Nelson (calf) is in with a slim chance of coming back.

Like his counterpart, Andrews will be expected to rotate his resources slightly for Monday's game, when the likes of Hakon Valdimarsson, Ethan Pinnock and Keane Lewis-Potter - Henry's deputy - could be restored to the XI.

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Areola; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Disasi, Scarles; Bowen, Fernandes, Magassa, Summerville; Wilson, Castellanos

Brentford possible starting lineup:

Valdimarsson; Kayode, Pinnock, Ajer, Lewis-Potter; Yarmoliuk, Henderson; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago

We say: West Ham United 2-2 Brentford (a.e.t, West Ham to win on penalties)

With both sides boasting identical six-game streaks and having bigger fish to fry in the Premier League, it would take a brave soul to confidently predict the outcome of this fifth-round showdown.

Entertainment should not be in short supply either way, but Santo's revitalised Hammers have our vote to hold their nerve from the penalty spot after a chaotic 120 minutes.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.