Premier League Gameweek 3
Brentford 1 - 1 FT Sunderland
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Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Dan Ballard 7'
Noah Sadiki 14'
17' ↓ Nathan Collins ↑Jannik Schuster
30' Mamadou Sangare
45' ↓ Michael Kayode ↑Aaron Hickey
45' ↓ Dango Ouattara ↑Jaidon Anthony
45' ↓ Mamadou Sangare ↑Yehor Yarmoliuk
HT
57' Vitaly Janelt
62' Vitaly Janelt
↓ Nilson Angulo ↑Wilson Isidor 64'
↓ Thomas Meunier ↑Trai Hume 64'
69' Yehor Yarmoliuk
71' Jaidon Anthony
↓ Noah Sadiki ↑Malick Fofana 74'
Enzo Le Fée 82'
86' ↓ Mikkel Damsgaard ↑Callum Wilson
Granit Xhaka 88'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Brentford
Goalkeepers
Caoimhín Kelleher 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Michael Kayode 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Kristoffer Ajer 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Nathan Collins
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
17
Total Mins
17
Entry
Keane Lewis-Potter 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
25%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Mamadou Sangaré
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Vitaly Janelt 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Dango Ouattara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
46
Total Mins
45
Entry
Mikkel Damsgaard
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Kevin Schade
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Igor Thiago
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Jannik Schuster
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
El Hadji Malick Diouf
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rico Henry
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aaron Hickey
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
44
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Fabio Carvalho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yehor Yarmolyuk
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
44
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Callum Wilson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jaidon Anthony
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
44
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sunderland
Goalkeepers
Robin Roefs
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
1
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Thomas Meunier
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
64
Total Mins
64
Entry
Nordi Mukiele 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
4
Tackles
53%
Duel Win %
Daniel Ballard
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
61%
Duel Win %
Kevin Danso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Reinildo
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
71%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Nilson Angulo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
64
Total Mins
64
Entry
Noah Sadiki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
Granit Xhaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Enzo Le Fée 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
Forwards
Brian Brobbey
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
15%
Pass Acc
BENCH
Melker Ellborg
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Dayann Methalie
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Omar Alderete
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Trai Hume
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
100%
Duel Win %
Christopher Rigg
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jules Ahoka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luke O'Nien
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wilson Isidor
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Malick Fofana
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/07/2026 | Brentford | 3 - 0 | Sunderland | Premier League | Brentford Community Stadium |
| 08/30/2025 | Sunderland | 2 - 1 | Brentford | Premier League | Stadium of Light |
| 02/17/2018 | Sunderland | 0 - 2 | Brentford | Championship | Stadium of Light |
| 10/21/2017 | Brentford | 3 - 3 | Sunderland | Championship | Griffin Park |
01/07/2026
08/30/2025
02/17/2018
10/21/2017
Brentford Win
Sunderland Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -3
League Standings
P: 5 GD: +8
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +11
P: 5 GD: +6
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -1
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: -9
P: 5 GD: -3
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Brentford
Sunderland
Brentford
Sunderland
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
VAR Chaos and Late Drama Force Capital Stalemate
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 60/100. A gripping encounter defined by VAR interventions and a late penalty left both sides sharing the spoils in West London.
A Disallowed Dream
The match ignited almost immediately at the Brentford Community Stadium, setting a relentless tempo. A high Intensity rating was evident early on as both sides traded blows in a highly physical midfield battle. Barely seven minutes had elapsed when Dan Ballard thought he had fired the visitors into a dream lead, only for VAR to ruthlessly chop off the celebration. That early let-off emboldened Brentford, who pushed higher up the pitch to disrupt the opposition's rhythm. Rather than retreating into their shells, Sunderland stood firm, turning the first half into a tactical arm wrestle. A barrage of 26 combined shots over the course of the afternoon quickly turned the venue into a shooting gallery, yet the opening 45 minutes ended without a legitimate breakthrough, leaving fans breathless but awaiting the crucial final touch.
The VAR Lifeline
The Balance of the match shifted decisively shortly after the interval, as the hosts finally found the cutting edge they had been searching for. In the 57th minute, Vitaly Janelt broke the deadlock, capitalising on a moment of defensive hesitation to rifle home a superb strike. The goal injected a fresh surge of adrenaline into the home crowd, and Brentford looked poised to run away with the contest. The drama, however, was far from over. In the 71st minute, Jaidon Anthony appeared to double the advantage, finishing off a slick attacking move. Yet again, the VAR monitor became the ultimate arbiter, denying the effort and offering Sunderland an unexpected lifeline. That microscopic margin kept the visitors firmly in the hunt and perfectly captured the razor-thin margins defining this absorbing Premier League clash.
Penalty Box Redemption
Having survived that monumental scare, the away side pushed forward with renewed belief, determined to salvage a result. Their persistence paid off in the 82nd minute when the referee pointed to the penalty spot, setting the stage for a grandstand finish. Enzo Le Fée stepped up, blocked out the deafening whistles, and coolly dispatched the spot-kick to level the scoreline. Sunderland edged possession with 51% over the 90 minutes, a stat that underscores their grit on the road against a previously unbeaten side. The Stakes were palpable in the dying moments, but neither team could engineer a final, decisive blow. Brentford extend their unbeaten start to the season with four points from two matches, while Sunderland will take immense pride in snatching a hard-fought draw after navigating severe pressure and early heartbreak.
Key Questions
How did VAR change this match?
VAR intervened twice, cancelling early strikes from Sunderland's Dan Ballard and later denying Brentford's Jaidon Anthony, keeping the match highly unpredictable.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Bees Look to Sting Sluggish Sunderland
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 30/100. This early-season fixture lacks fireworks, but it offers Brentford a golden opportunity to solidify their strong start against a struggling visiting side.
The Setup
September 05, 2026, brings Sunderland to the Brentford Community Stadium in a match that currently carries very modest Stakes. With the Premier League table still taking shape, an early-season discount applies to the drama. Brentford are riding high in sixth place after a commanding three-goal opening victory, showing an excellent Form rating. The visitors, sitting in fifteenth after an opening defeat, are desperate to find a foothold. Despite a decent Balance metric suggesting the visitors could make it tough defensively, the overall lack of Stars keeps this clash strictly for the die-hards.
Key Battle
The defining clash will be the home midfield engine against the visiting defensive block. Brentford's central unit has already shown they can control the tempo and transition quickly. The visitors must deploy a rigid, disciplined structure to absorb pressure. If the away side's midfield pivots cannot disrupt the passing lanes, the hosts will comfortably dictate the terms of engagement.
Our Prediction
We expect the hosts to take all three points. With a significant probability gap favoring the home side, the most likely game script involves Brentford scoring early, forcing the visitors out of their defensive shell, and managing the tempo to see out a comfortable win.