Brentford latest: Thiago dropped by Brazil

2026-09-09 · Sky-PL

Brentford have landed fellow Premier League side Sunderland in the next round of the Carabao Cup.

Carabao Cup: Brentford to play Sunderland

Brentford have landed fellow Premier League side Sunderland in the next round of the Carabao Cup.

The fourth round of the competition takes place the week commencing October 26.

Carabao Cup fourth round draw confirmed

Brentford hold off Reading to reach round four of Carabao Cup

Brentford emerged from a tense finish against Reading to book their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 2-1 victory.

Furo ruled out of Reading tie

Brentford striker Kaye Furo is facing a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery for an undisclosed injury.

Furo was set to start Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie at Reading, but head coach Keith Andrews revealed the 19-year-old Belgian will now have to wait for his first appearance of the season.

Andrews said: “Kaye picked up an injury in the last few days in training. Unfortunately for him, he’s had to have an operation this [Monday] morning.

> “The timing of an injury is obviously never good for a player, but I felt he was just coming into a really good place with his game.

> “That’s really frustrating for him. I would’ve started him against Reading because I felt he deserved it and was in that type of space.

> “I’m not sure how long he’s going to be out for, but we’ll obviously look after him and get him back to a good place.”

Benjamin Fredrick will make his debut against Reading after Andrews revealed the 21-year-old defender will be involved at Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Andrews said: “We’ll put a team out we feel is right to compete against Reading and, hopefully, get us into the next round.”

'Bees fans buzzing as club looks to end trophy drought'

Of the 24,161 seats available at Reading’s Select Car Leasing Stadium tomorrow, a remarkable 5,000 of them look set to be filled with Brentford fans.

It’s a clear statement on just how much a first major trophy would mean to supporters of this club. The Bees still haven't ticked that accolade off, and Keith Andrews isn't taking it lightly.

> “I got told yesterday we have 5,000 fans going to the game, and that for me says it all really,” he said. “The belief that the fans have that we're taking it very seriously, we want to show it's a serious competition for us.”

Brentford remain unbeaten this season but that doesn’t really tell the full story. After that emphatic win over Spurs, it’s been three consecutive league draws, albeit against tough opposition.

Optimists will say it could have been worse. But realists will be wondering why this team haven’t managed to kick on.

Brentford will surely rotate for this one – but there will be no place for the young striker Kaye Furo who has just been awarded Premier League 2 player of the month. Andrews revealed he had surgery just this morning, with a recovery timeline still uncertain.

Andrews said: “That's really frustrating for him. I would have started him tomorrow night against Reading, because I felt he deserved it, and he was in that type of space.”

Instead, he will likely turn to the very capable Callum Wilson to lead the line.

The last time Reading and Brentford faced each other was in the Championship back in 2021. Their journeys since then could not have been more different. Later that season Brentford were promoted and have never really looked back. Two years later, Reading were relegated to League One as a result of a points deduction.

On paper, this is Brentford’s to lose. But of course, in the wise words of Andrews: “The game's not played on paper.”

Schade double earns Brentford point as Bournemouth await first PL win

Kevin Schade netted a double as Brentford twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, leaving Marco Rose still waiting for his first Premier League win as head coach.

FREE MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Bournemouth 2-2 Brentford

Andrews: Brentford didn't deserve three points but showed resilience

Keith Andrews admitted Brentford did not deserve to take all three points from their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, but praised the character shown by his side to remain unbeaten.

> “We didn’t deserve the three points, would be my assessment,” Andrews told Sky Sports.

> “We didn’t play as efficiently and effectively enough as we would have liked today. We lacked a little bit of cohesion at times.

> “I think it was more on us. We didn’t do certain things well. But I have to say the grit and character and resilience that we showed to get a point away from home, still be unbeaten, is obviously a positive.”

Andrews reserved particular praise for Kevin Schade, who scored twice against Bournemouth after netting a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture last season.

> “He’s been excellent,” he said. “The way he’s attacked everything we’ve done, regardless of where he plays, what he gets asked to do with the ball, without the ball, there’s such an honesty to his game.

> “I felt like it’s been bubbling with him. The goals, you can see the goal he scored against Leeds, the confidence he’s playing with, and today the way he took those two goals again was really nice.”

Brentford boss Keith Andrews has expressed his desire to keep Kevin Schade at the club.

Schade has started the campaign well after scoring eight Premier League goals last season, and there have been reports that Brentford have opened contract extensions talks with the 24-year-old Germany forward.

> “I’m not entirely sure where those conversations are exactly but from my point of view, it’s not something I overly get involved in, the dealings of it,” Andrews said about Schade, who has scored 23 goals in 98 appearances since arriving from Freiburg in 2023.

> “It’s just very much ‘I would like to keep Kevin at the club’.

> “I think everybody can see how well he has started the season.

> “He’s been very, very focused, has come back in a really good place and I think he’s playing the best football, certainly since I’ve been in charge. He’s a really important part of the group.”

Unbeaten Brentford visit Bournemouth on Saturday, with Andrews backing Brazil striker Igor Thiago to get back on the Premier League goal trail.

He said: “The goals will come, I’ve no doubt about that. I’m not worried about that and he’s performing to a really high level for us.”

Jones Knows: Janelt to make +2 fouls

Brentford have been all the rage with the betting markets over the first three games with the belief that Keith Andrews has improved them over the summer, although a few fingers were burnt, my included, with their lacklustre showing in the 1-1 with Sunderland last weekend. The sample size is small but there seems more aggression and pressing about Brentford this season with a rise in their high turnovers per 90 of 3.1 and 6.2 more fouls committed per 90.

Vitaly Janelt has been responsible for a lot of that upsurge, making 10 fouls in four games and being booked in all three Premier League games. Up against Adam Scott, who draws over two fouls per game, and Justin Kluivert who was fouled three times at Newcastle, he's going to be in the firing line for fouls. The 7/4 for him to make two or more fouls is a lovely slice of value.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Vitaly Janelt to make +2 fouls (7/4 with Sky Bet)

Andrews: I wouldn't sign someone who didn't fit how we behave or play

Brentford boss Keith Andrews on his side's recruitment strategy:

> "I would not take someone into the group who would not fit into the rhythms of the way we behave and play for the benefits of potential ability and their attributes as a player."

Andrews: We're in a good spot

Brentford boss Keith Andrews on his side's start to the season:

> "We are in a pretty good place, had a decent training week off the back of the game last weekend, and apart from those couple of lads coming back to fitness, we are in a good spot."

Andrews: Let's see how Jensen goes next week

Brentford boss Keith Andrews on Matthias Jensen's fitness:

> "He's doing well - he won't be involved tomorrow [Saturday], won't be involved next weekend I think, but we will see how he goes next week, but certainly not tomorrow."

So far, so good for Andrews and Brentford

After three games, Brentford have won one, drawn two and sit fifth in the table as one of only eight sides still unbeaten. So far, so good.

The absence of skipper Nathan Collins will cast a cloud over things, with Andrews confirming he won’t be back this side of the international break. Most likely, nor will Matthias Jensen either.

We also found out this week that Igor Thiago has not made it back into the Brazil squad - he is yet to score this season in the league, but Andrews brushed off talk there might be cause for concern.

> “If I see any dip in his endeavours, or his enthusiasm, or his general way of being, positivity in which he comes in, then I'd be slightly worried,” he said.

> “I haven't sensed that in the slightest since the second he came back after the World Cup into preseason training.”

> “He's been nothing but amazing throughout that whole time, throughout my whole time at the club, in particular as head coach. The goals will come. I've no doubt about that.”

Next up, it’s a Bournemouth side who probably aren’t delighted to see Brentford on the agenda as they look for their first win of the season. They’ve never managed to beat the Bees in eight league meetings.

But this time around, there’s an added layer to a game that I’ve decided to call the ‘Birthday Derby’! Marco Rose celebrates his birthday today [Friday] – and funnily enough, Andrews celebrates his on Sunday. But will there be any big celebrations to honour the day?

> “No, there'll be no celebrations, says Andrews. “I'm not a massive birthday person, I must say. Yeah, we've got a short week. I don't really want to get too far ahead of Saturday.

> "I've said that to the players, so I should probably practise what I preach. And we can do something maybe next week during the international break.”

Three points at the Vitality wouldn’t be a bad present though, wouldn’t it?

Andrews: Collins out till international break

Brentford boss Keith Andrews has confirmed centre-back Nathan Collins will miss Saturday's Premier League clash at Brentford with a calf injury.

The Bees skipper picked up the problem in last weekend's home draw with Sunderland, with Andrews now expecting him to be out until after the upcoming international break.

> "He will not be involved this side of the international break unfortunately, he's picked up a calf injury which he probably felt a bit earlier in the game," he said.

> "He played through it like he naturally would being the type of character he is and a leader and our captain, so unfortunately Nathan will not be available."

Brentford festive fixtures announced

The Premier League's festive fixtures have been announced for this season - with 29 matches available to watch live on Sky Sports between Boxing Day and January 7.

Brentford will feature across two of them, as they visit Coventry and Arsenal either side of the new year.

Brentford festive fixtures live on Sky Sports:

- Wednesday December 30: Coventry vs Brentford, 7.30pm - Tuesday January 5: Arsenal vs Brentford, 7.30pm

Brazil recall Pedro, Thiago, Alisson and Cunha omitted

Joao Pedro has been recalled to the Brazil squad at the first time of asking after his surprising World Cup snub, but Alisson, Matheus Cunha and Thiago have been omitted.

Pedro was controversially left out by Carlo Ancelotti for this summer's tournament - a decision that looked even worse after Brazil's last-16 exit to Norway.

The forward has started the season well after enjoying a full pre-season with Chelsea and now returns for two fixtures against Australia, plus a game against India, while Brentford's Thiago makes way.

Alisson is an eye-catching absentee. He was Brazil's No 1 at the World Cup and started for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Cunha has two assists in three Premier League games for Manchester United this season and featured regularly at the World Cup.

Arsenal's Gabriel and Bruno Guimaraes are in Ancelotti's squad, as are Manchester United's Andrey Santos and Manchester City's Vitor Reis.

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