Follow live coverage as West Ham United face Brentford 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:
West Ham United FC 0 - 1 Brentford FC
West Ham United vs Brentford
17:09Brentford win three consecutive Premier League away matches for the first time in their history following a 1-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium. Kevin Schade's fourth minute goal was enough for victory for the Bees, after he latched onto a Wissa pass and, at the second time of asking finished past Areola. The Bees spurned plenty of chances in the first half to extend their advantage, including Wissa having two goals ruled out for offside. Graham Potter reacted with a triple substitution at the break and West Ham began by dominating the second period. However, Brentford stood firm and the Hammers couldn't break down their resolute defensive unit. The Bees hung on for victory and consigned West Ham to back-to-back defeats. Brentford created an xG of 1.46 and remain 11th in the Premier League table, with a trip to Leicester up next. West Ham created an xG of 0.77 and remain in 16th in the table, with another London derby up next at Arsenal. That is all from me. Thanks for joining me and goodbye.
West Ham United vs Brentford
17:00FULL-TIME: WEST HAM 0-1 BRENTFORD
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:58Pinnock heads clear a Ward-Prowse corner-kick before the referee is forced to stop play due to an injury to Flekken.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:56Alvarez is adjudged to have been in an offside position from a West Ham free-kick and it means Brentford can run the down clock further.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:54Brentford make a late change as Damsgaard is replaced by Kayode.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:54Substitution Yoane Wissa Bileko Fábio Leandro Freitas Gouveia de Carvalho
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:54Five minutes of added time to be played at the end of this second half.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:51A late change from West Ham as 19-year-old Guilherme comes for Mavropanos.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:51Another attempt from Scarles as he is again left unmarked from a corner, but this time his effort flies over the crossbar for a Brentford goal-kick.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:48Paqueta with a fine pass to find Bowen running towards the Brentford penalty area, and the latter then does well to win a free-kick for his side.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:46Good goalkeeping from Flekken to come out and claim a Bowen cross and relieve the pressure on his defence.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:44Chance for Ferguson, but he doesn't get enough power or direction on his shot to test Flekken and it is a comfortable save in the end for the goalkeeper.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:44Brentford are on course to win three away matches in a row for the first time ever in the Premier League. They have just over ten minutes to hold on at the London Stadium.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:42Lewis-Potter again does well to win Brentford a free-kick deep inside his own half, this time following a challenge with Paqueta.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:39Yarmoliuk replaces Janelt for the visitors.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:39Bowen is frustrated after Lewis-Potter goes down following an ariel duel between the two players. The defender wins his side a free-kick which Bowen isn't happy about.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:39Substitution Kevin Schade Mathias Jensen
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:37Damsgaard slips in Mbeumo and the forward looks to take the ball around the goalkeeper. Areola though does well to get a hand on the ball and deny Mbeumo.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:34Brentford have managed to advance into the West Ham half and they win themselves a corner following a Schade long throw-in.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:32Ward-Prowse lays the ball off to Paqueta to strike from the free-kick, but it takes a deflection off a West Ham player on the way through and goes wide of the post.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:30Paqueta entices a challenge from Janelt on the edge of the penalty area and West Ham have a free-kick in a dangerous position.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:29Brentford have still yet to register a shot on target in this second half. The Bees have only had 24% possession in this second period. West Ham need to capitalise on their dominance.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:26Kudus tries to turn Ajer inside the penalty area before he manages to get a shot away, but the effort doesn't trouble the Brentford goal.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:24Substitution Sepp van den Berg Ethan Rupert Pinnock
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:23Brentford may be forced into a change here as van den Berg goes down injured following a challenge.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:20Alvarez makes a clever foul to stop Wissa launching a dangerous counter-attack.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:18The tables have turned in this second half and there is an intensity to West Ham's play now which wasn't there in the first half. Brentford can't keep the ball right now to calm the game down.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:16Another chance for the hosts as the ball falls to Scarles on the edge of the penalty area from a corner. His strike is struck perfectly and is heading for the roof of the net but van den Berg manages to block the effort.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:14Paqueta's strike from the edge of the penalty area deflects behind for a corner. Bright start to the second half from the hosts.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:14Massive chance for West Ham! Ferguson makes his mark with a great run into the penalty area, and he then manages to pick out Kudus. The midfielder though skies his effort over the crossbar when he looked certain to score.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:09The second half has started. West Ham reacting with three changes at the break, but can they find a way back into this match?
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:08Scarles replaces Emerson for the hosts at half-time.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:08Substitution Tomáš Souček James Michael Edward Ward-Prowse
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:07Substitution Carlos Soler Barragán Evan Joe Ferguson
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:04After that first half, the Opta supercomputer gives Brentford a 62.2% probability of taking all three points. West Ham are given just a 14.1% chance of turning this match around, whilst a draw is 23.7% likely to be the final outcome.
West Ham United vs Brentford
16:00Brentford deservedly lead 1-0 at half-time against West Ham in this London derby dominated by the visitors. The only dissapointment for Brentford in that first half will be that they haven't yet killed this game off. The only goal they have scored came after just four minutes thanks to Schade, although goal-line technology and VAR was required to make sure the goal could stand. Mbeumo has spurned a couple of good chances and Wissa has had two goals dissalowed for offside, one following consultation with the VAR. West Ham will be relieved they remain in this game after a poor first half showing.The Hammers have created an xG of just 0.17 compared to an xG creation of 1.33 for Brentford. However, it is still all to play for in the second half at the London Stadium.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:53HALF-TIME: WEST HAM 0-1 BRENTFORD
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:53Another let off for West Ham! It is a simple pass to Mbeumo, whose run in-behind isn't tracked but the winger miscues his effort well wide of the post.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:53Soucek is fouled in the penalty area from a Brentford corner and West Ham win a free-kick to relieve some pressure on their goal.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:52Four minutes of added time to be played at the end of this first half.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:50West Ham will be thankful it remains just the 1-0 to Brentford heading into half-time. The Hammers remain in this contest despite being second best here.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:47Brentford think they have double their lead, but Wissa’s goal is ruled out for an offside in the build-up. It was a lovely team goal which picked West Ham apart. Wissa finished off the move with a low placed finish past the goalkeeper, but after a VAR check the goal was disallowed. It remains 1-0 to Brentford.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:44Goal Yoane Wissa Bileko
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:44Excellent defending from Mavropanos who does superb to deny Wissa a shot on goal after the forward looked set to make it two-nil.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:40Bowen looks the most likely player to create anything for West Ham so far, but his cross into the penalty area is overhit and the ball goes out for a Brentford goal-kick.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:39The left boot of Mbeumo takes the free-kick, but the West Ham wall does its job by blocking the effort.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:38Brentford look dangerous every time they come forward and Wissa is fouled by Alvarez on the edge of the penalty area, and they have a free-kick in a dangerous position.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:38Damsgaard makes a late foul and is awarded a yellow card.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:38Bowen drives to the by-line and flashes a ball across the face of goal, but no West Ham player is there to get on the end of it.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:38Another chance for the visitors! It is a quick counter-attack from the Bees after West Ham think they should have been awarded a free-kick for a foul on Soler. Schade is picked out in-behind again, but this time he strikes his effort against the outside of the post.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:30Yellow Card Tomáš Souček
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:30This is an excellent spell for Brentford and it is another chance for Wissa, who strikes just wide from 20 yards out.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:29Paqueta cheaply gifts Mbeumo the ball outside the penalty area. Mbeumo picks out the run of Wissa who turns the cross past Areola, but the assistant referee raises his flag for offside and the goal is not awarded.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:26Wissa this time tests Areola with a close-range header and that is another chance spurned by the visitors. Good play from Mbeumo to pick out Wissa with the cross from the right flank.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:25Chance for Brentford! Norgaard picks out Mbeumo with a brilliant forward pass and the winger cuts inside from the right flank but is denied by Areola.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:23Emerson is encourgaed to shoot from the West Ham fans, and he duly tries a long-range effort which is comfortably gathered by Flekken.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:21West Ham starting to apply a period of pressure on the Brentford goal and Soucek has a shot blocked inside the penalty area.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:20Mavropanos' lunging challenge is penalised and Brentford win a free-kick inside their own penalty area.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:20Schade's long throw-in into the penalty area is headed clear to Damsgaard on the edge of the box. Damsgaard drags his effort wide, but that was a chance for the visitors.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:17Alvarez releases Paqueta down the left flank, but the midfielder's touch lets him down and Brentford win a throw-in deep inside their own half.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:15That was Schade's seventh Premier League goal of the season and Brentford have scored eight goals in the first 15 minutes of the first half. Only Tottenham Hotspur (11) have scored more in the Premier League this season.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:13Bowen looks to advance in-behind the Brentford defence and the forward is flagged offside. That looked a very tight call.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:13A late challenge from Norgaard in the middle of the park gives West Ham a free-kick but they waste the opportunity and the ball goes out of play for a Brentford throw-in.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:11A messy goal for West Ham to concede which came from their first corner of the match. The Hammers haven't won a Premier League match when conceding the first goal this season.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:07Goal Kevin Schade
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:06It was a 1-1 draw when these two sides met earlier in the season. Can either side claim all three points in this contest?
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:03Brentford get the game started at the London Stadium.
West Ham United vs Brentford
15:00The teams are out on the pitch and kick-off is just moments away.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:55Brentford make just the one change from the side that lost to Tottenham last time out, as Flekken replaces Valdimarsson in goal. Pinnock remains on the bench after recently returning from injury.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:55BRENTFORD SUBS: Ethan Pinnock, Mathias Jensen, Hakon Valdimarsson, Fabio Carvalho, Ben Mee, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Yunus Konak, Paris Maghoma, Michael Kayode.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:50BRENTFORD LINE-UP (4-2-3-1): Mark Flekken; Keane Lewis-Potter, Sepp van den Berg, Nathan Collins, Kristoffer Ajer; Vitaly Janelt, Christian Norgaard; Kevin Schade, Mikkel Damsgaard, Bryan Mbeumo; Yoane Wissa.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:50West Ham make three alterations to the side that were beaten by Chelsea in their last Premier League match. Paqueta, Mavropanos and Alvarez replace Vladimir Coufal, Cresswell and Irving. New loan signing Evan Ferguson has to settle for a place on the bench alongside Ward-Prowse who was recently recalled from a spell at Nottingham Forest.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:45WEST HAM SUBS: Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Cresswell, James Ward-Prowse, Luis Guilherme, Guido Rodriguez, Jean-Clair Todibo, Evan Ferguson, Andy Irving, Ollie Scarles.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:45WEST HAM LINE-UP (4-2-3-1): Alphonse Areola; Emerson, Maximilian Kilman, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Aaron Wan-Bissaka; Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez; Carlos Soler, Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus; Jarrod Bowen.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:40Brentford have slipped off the pace for a European spot next season following a run of just two wins in their last eight Premier League matches. The Bees’ season looks to be petering out with a ten-point gap between them and sixth placed Newcastle, and a 14-point gap between them and 18th placed Leicester. Breaking into the top ten now looks to be the aim for Thomas Frank, although there is still a chance the Bees could eclipse the 9th placed finish they achieved in the 2022/23 season with a strong second half of the campaign.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:35West Ham return to Premier League action for the first time in 12 days with a fourth London derby in five matches. The Hammers have recently beaten Fulham at the London Stadium, but have lost to both Crystal Palace and Chelsea. That Fulham victory was their only win in their past six league matches, leaving West Ham 16th in the table and ten points above the bottom three. Graham Potter will have relished the recent break to work with his team on the training ground in hope that both performances and results can improve. Potter hopes any resurgence can start against a Brentford side, who he remains unbeaten against as a manager in six contests.
West Ham United vs Brentford
14:35Hello and welcome to this live text commentary of West Ham against Brentford in the Premier League.
West Ham United vs Brentford
13:00Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
