Head coach Keith Andrews has provided an update on team news as Brentford prepares for their match against Newcastle United on Saturday at St James’ Park, with kick-off scheduled for 5:30 PM GMT, broadcast live on Sky Sports. The Bees head into this encounter on the heels of a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, while Newcastle suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to Liverpool in their last Premier League outing.
Unfortunately for Brentford, forward Kevin Schade will be sidelined due to a suspension resulting from a straight red card received in the match against Aston Villa. Additionally, Josh Dasilva continues to recover from a knee ligament injury, and both Fábio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo will miss the remainder of the season as they continue to rehabilitate from ACL injuries.
Andrews expressed his disappointment over Schade’s absence. “We’ll miss him for the next two league games and the cup game against Macclesfield. Everyone else has come through a difficult game, for obvious reasons, having gone down to 10 men so early. It’s testament to the place we’re in – physically as a team. We’re pretty much as we were,” he said.
In a positive note for the Bees, players Kaye Furo and Reiss Nelson are set to return to the squad. Andrews explained that Nelson had a slight knock, which excluded him from the last match.
The Brentford manager also addressed captain Nathan Collins, who started on the bench last week after sustaining a training injury that required stitches. “It was really unfortunate,” Andrews noted, reflecting on the timing of the injury. “He wasn’t fully right but he came into a battle and that shows the character that he has. That’s why he’s my captain. He’s an amazing individual who leads by example on a daily basis.”
Newcastle will present a formidable challenge at home, having amassed 23 points at St James’ Park this season. Andrews is aware of the difficulties that lie ahead, stating, “It’s a special place to play football. The fans get behind their team. It’s a cauldron and it can rattle teams coming to town. Our players will have to deal with that emotion and the momentum swings in the game.”
As Brentford gears up for what promises to be an exciting encounter, the focus will be on maintaining composure in the face of a passionate home crowd. The Bees aim to put forward a resilient performance, paving the way for a potentially positive outcome as they seek to build momentum in the league.