Follow live coverage as Brentford face Brighton & Hove Albion today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Brentford FC 4 - 2 Brighton & Hove Albion FC
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:19Brentford beat Brighton 4-2 as a frenetic second half caps a truly engaging encounter. The Bees notched an early lead in this one, scoring just nine minutes in. Lewis-Potter showed great poise and determination to drive out of left-back before playing in Mbeumo on the counter. The Cameroonian international was ice-cold in front of goal and powered into the bottom-left corner with aplomb. While Brighton responded at the end of the first-half stoppage as Welbeck headed in after a deft Wieffer cross, this was immediately cancelled out at the start of the second period as Mbeumo grabbed his second of the day as he found the bottom-left again with the help of a Dunk deflection. It was 3-1 Brentford 10 minutes later, as this time, the countering Mbeumo turned provider for Wissa as he slid a ball across the box for his arriving strike partner. After this, Brighton's day went from bad to worse as Joao Pedro received his marching orders for clashing with Collins. To their credit, Brighton kept on pushing and initially made the final exchanges tricky for the hosts as Mitoma slotted past Flekken in the 81st minute. This, however, proved futile as Norgaard headed in a superb Jensen free-kick five minutes into an eight-minute stoppage that eventually extended to 20 following Van Hecke and Konak's violent head clash. Brentford were good value for their win today, exceeding their 2.22 xG. Brighton also worked above their 1.29 xG. Thanks for joining us today, goodbye!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:12FULL-TIME: BRENTFORD 4-2 BRIGHTON
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:10Substitution Jan Paul van Hecke Eiran Joe Cashin
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:07Substitution Yunus Emre Konak Gustavo Nunes Fernandes Gomes
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:06Konak is up, bringing applause from the home fans. There's more concern for Van Hecke, as a stretcher has been brought on.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:04There's another stoppage as Van Hecke and Konak smash heads challenging for Verbruggen's goal kick.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:02Van den Berg nods wide of the left post after a fine right-sided corner delivery. We're still going...
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:01Janelt crosses for Mbeumo from the left and the latter's volley is blocked, denying the hat-trick!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
17:00Gomez takes the late free-kick and blasts it into the stands. A fitting end to the melee, really.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:57Yellow Card Nathan Michael Collins
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:57Yellow Card Jan Paul van Hecke
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:56Assist Mathias Jensen
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:55Brighton have their big men forward now. Van Hecke chases a stray ball and is frustrated as Flekken takes his time to claim. He pops a cheeky shoulder at his compatriot, only to be laughed at by Collins.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:55Yellow Card Pervis Josué Estupiñán Tenorio
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:52The tackles fly in for a Brentford free-kick. Before this is taken, up goes the board. There will be eight minutes of stoppage time.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:51Yellow Card Mathias Jensen
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:50One of Brighton's best players on a challenging day, Wieffer comes off now for Simon Adingra.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:49Henry is challenged by Gomez, and a flailing arm from the left-back catches the Brighton man. A whimsical fall brings a bereft look from Henry.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:48Substitution Mikkel Krogh Damsgaard Vitaly Janelt
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:47Substitution Kevin Schade Yunus Emre Konak
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:47This is posing as a tricky final few minutes for Brentford now. Gomez is blocked before another corner sees Van Hecke head high. Dunk is brought down in the crowded box, but the referee sees no problems.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:46Brentford have conceded 14 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Southampton (20) have conceded more in the Premier League this season.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:42Assist Jack Luca Hinshelwood
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:41Wieffer crosses low from the right and finds Mitoma! The Japanese dynamo can't keep his effort down and Brentford have a goal kick!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:37Substitution Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba Diego Alexander Gómez Amarilla
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:37Substitution Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah Welbeck Yasin Abbas Ayari
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:37Substitution Yehor Yarmoliuk Mathias Jensen
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:36Substitution Keane William Lewis-Potter Rico Antonio Henry
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:36A quiet spell comes and goes as Brighton defend Brentford set pieces well. It also looks as if Frank is readying another change for the hosts.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:33Mbeumo crosses from the right and wins his side a corner as Mitoma blocks it behind.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:31Brentford have attempted 12 shots in this match, higher than their season average of 11.3 in the Premier League.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:29A long Brentford throw comes in from the left but is cleared. There are handball shouts against Mitoma before it's booted away. VAR have a brief look, but play is allowed to continue.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:26SCHADE! After latching onto a Dunk backpass, the German rounds Verbruggen and slams into the right side netting! What a let-off, it could've been four!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:26Substitution Michael Olabode Kayode Kristoffer Vassbakk Köpp Ajer
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:26Substitution Matthew Sean O'Riley Kaoru Mitoma
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:26Substitution Yankuba Minteh Moat Solomon Benjamin March
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:25After a brief VAR check to confirm the violent misconduct, play resumes with the Brazilian jeered as he storms down the Brentford tunnel.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:22Red Card João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:22Brentford have scored three goals in a game for the first time since February's 4-0 win against Leicester City.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:19Assist Bryan Tetsadong Marceau Mbeumo
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:18Goal Yoane Wissa Bileko
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:17After a scramble, a second corner from the right comes in. However, this time, Verbruggen's life is made easier as a header is straight into his welcoming arms.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:16Lewis-Potter whips in a great cross from the left. Van Hecke gets up well to just flick it beyond anyone in red and white. The resulting corner comes in, and Wissa's header is denied superbly by Verbruggen's reflexes as he saves with a lightning-quick left hand!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:15The gritty spell from the first half has re-entered the fray now as both sides jostle for the ball.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:12Mbeumo has now scored two goals in a game for the first time since the 4th of January 2025 against Southampton (5-0 away win).
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:09Assist Yoane Wissa Bileko
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:08Brentford look promising in the opening moments here. Yarmolyuk and Damsgaard link up well before a ball from the right finds Schade to glance a header just wide of the target.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:06Brentford get us started for the second half of action.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
16:00Brentford's goal came as they excelled above their 0.74 xG. Equally, Brighton operated above their 0.61 xG to find the back of the net. While the hosts have consistently looked dangerous on the counter with Wissa, Mbeumo and Schade, the visitors have shown a more methodical approach to their build-up. Often allowing the home side to get bodies back, it looked as if they'd enter the break behind, but a great goal by Welbeck could be the catalyst for Hurzeler's men to kick on from in the second 45 minutes.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:57A gritty half of football comes to an end in West London, as Brentford and Brighton sit level-pegging at 1-1. In a spell of 45 minutes where the visitors often struggled to make a chink in the Bees' defensive armour, the hosts had no such trouble as they notched an early lead with Mbeumo in the ninth minute. Lewis-Potter showed great poise and determination to drive out of left-back, before playing in his forward on the counter. The Cameroonian international was ice-cold in front of goal, and found the bottom-left corner with aplomb. While defensive errors at both ends, thanks to Flekken and Dunk, nearly altered the scoreline further, we'd have to wait until the very end of stoppage time for Brighton's response. Visiting pressure culminated in Wieffer crossing from the right, and Welbeck somehow manoeuvring a deft header inside the left post with Flekken rooted.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:53HALF-TIME: BRENTFORD 1-1 BRIGHTON
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:50Assist Mats Henrik Berne Wieffer
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:49Hinshelwood crosses from the right, yet a Brentford head is there to get the ball away easily. The Seagulls will need to pose more of a threat in the second half.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:48There will be three minutes of added time.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:47A gritty half enters its final minutes as Mbeumo is fouled in his own half.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:45It's been a stop-start sort of half for Brighton's attack. They've had just one effort on shot on target. They have the chance to change this with a corner on the left, yet this is cleared.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:41Damsgaard's cross comes in, but it fails to beat the first man and is easily cleared.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:40Yellow Card Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah Welbeck
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:40Estupinan clips the back of Damsgaard and gives the hosts a deep free-kick on the right.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:38Brighton continue to struggle to find space against their hosts and frustrations momentarily rise as Minteh gets the ball back while fouling Lewis-Potter.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:36Brighton move the ball around well here, yet Brentford are set really deep with a stubborn shape that makes infiltration difficult. Pedro is forced to fire from range, and whizzes one high of Flekken's goal.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:34After a brief lull, Wissa tries to jink away through the centre, but is stifled straight away. His head drops but Brentford come again.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:32Dunk slides in Estupinan well down the left of the home box and he plays it back for Welbeck. However, under pressure from Van den Berg, his shot goes comfortably wide of the left post.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:30Schade is, again, a target of a sweeping ball forward. However, Wieffer wins his battle well and darts out before Brentford get bodies back behind the ball to slow the game down.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:28Wieffer is played in on the right of the box and is covered immediately to win a corner on the right. O'Riley takes but Van Hecke can't keep his header down before Pedro is pushed out by Kayode.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:26Mbeumo cuts in on the right side and curls a great ball into the Brighton box. Schade rises, but his header is poor and straight at the feet of Verbruggen.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:25A long looping ball nearly sets Schade free, yet the Seagulls' defence just about manage to flick it away from the dangerous German.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:23DUNK! Careful! The centre-back plays a dodgy pass back to Verbruggen and Mbeumo nearly intercepts! The Dutch keeper has to power clear.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:21O'Riley's cross from the right is deflected behind, and a corner from the left follows. This flies in, but Brentford can head out.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:19FLEKKEN! The Dutch stopper gets away with a horrible fluffed clearance before Welbeck sprawls under minimum contact looking for a penalty! The referee isn't convinced, and instead, it's a corner on the left.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:19Yellow Card Michael Olabode Kayode
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:16Brentford loiter around the Brighton box with intent, yet somehow the men in yellow survive and play out with excellent last-ditch precision.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:14Joao Pedro finds Minteh with a great bal from the left, yet the Gambian can only power his shot from a tight angle into the right side netting.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:14Brentford have avoided defeat in their last five matches when scoring first in the Premier League, since a 1-3 loss to Arsenal on the 1st of January 2025.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:11Assist Keane William Lewis-Potter
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:10Goal Bryan Tetsadong Marceau Mbeumo
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:10Schade is played in well down the left wing and darts inwards to the goal. Brighton react, and steadily usher the ball back to Verbruggen.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:08Verbruggen is slightly too casual with the ball on his left byline and nearly gives it away to the Brentford press. He smashes it out for a throw. In the resulting ball into the box, Damsgaard collides with Minteh and play stops.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:05GOOD SAVE! Schade finds space down the left wing and he plays a lovely cross into the box for Wissa to run onto. He takes the shot first time, but Verbruggen makes himself big to smother the shot.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:03Joao Pedro skips his way to the edge of the Brentford box before being brought down, and Brighton have a free-kick in a good position. O'Riley steps up to take it, but bends his effort high over the bar.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:01Brighton get us under way for the first half!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:00The teams are out on the pitch now, with kick-off just moments away!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
15:00Fabian Hurzeler makes two changes to his side after their 2-2 draw with Leicester City last time out. Van Hecke returns from suspension, allowing Baleba to move back into midfield, with Wieffer also coming in. Ayari and Adingra start on the bench.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:55Thomas Frank makes just one change from their draw with Arsenal last weekend. Ajer drops down to the bench, with Kayode coming into the team to replace him.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:50BRIGHTON SUBS: Solly March, Brajan Gruda, Simon Adingra, Eiran Cashin, Kaoru Mitoma, Jason Steele, Diego Gomez, Yasin Ayari, Charlie Tasker.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:50BRIGHTON STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Bart Verbruggen; Jack Hinshelwood, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Pervis Estupinan; Mats Wieffer, Carlos Baleba; Yankuba Minteh, Matt O'Riley, Joao Pedro; Danny Welbeck.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:45BRENTFORD SUBS: Rico Henry, Ethan Pinnock, Mathias Jensen, Hakon Valdimarsson, Ben Mee, Kristoffer Ajer, Yunus Konak, Vitaly Janelt, Gustavo Nunes.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:45BRENTFORD STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Mark Flekken; Michael Kayode, Nathan Collins, Sepp van den Berg, Keane Lewis-Potter; Christian Norgaard, Yehor Yarmoliuk; Bryan Mbeumo, Mikkel Damsgaard, Kevin Schade; Yoane Wissa.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:45Brighton are still in with a chance of earning a European place at the end of the season, but are winless in their last four Premier League matches. They sit 10th in the table, and are six points behind Aston Villa in seventh, leaving them with an outside chance. They do enjoy playing Brentford though, losing just one of their seven Premier League games against the Bees (W3 D3), losing 2-0 away in October 2022.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:45Brentford's slim chances of earning a European place next season look to have slipped away from them in recent weeks after going winless in their last three matches, though they have drawn with Chelsea and Arsenal in their last two outings. They sit 11th in the table, five points off the teams above them, one of which is Brighton. After starting the season strongly at home, they have struggled there recently, with each of their last five Premier League wins coming on the road.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:40Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Premier League meeting between Brentford and Brighton at the Gtech Community Stadium!
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
13:00Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
