EPL: Crystal Palace vs Brentford Preview: Tips, Odds, and Prediction

Flying high, the Eagles haven’t lost in six games. It was second-placed Arsenal who last got the better of Palace a few days before Christmas, smashing them 5-1 at Selhurst Park in the league, having beaten them 3-2 only three days prior to that in the quarter-final of the EFL Cup.

Since Boxing Day, Crystal Palace haven’t lost a game, impressively picking up 11 points from a potential 15, and currently boast three clean sheets in a row.

The Gunners have been the only team able to inflict a defeat on the Eagles in the last 11 Premier League games. Their last loss was way back on November 9th, losing 2-0 at home to Fulham. 

Six of their seven losses this season came within their first 11 games, so their 2024-25 campaign started poorly, but they have turned it around to climb 11 points clear of relegation and are now threatening to gatecrash the top half of the table.

Crystal Palace defeated West Ham 2-0 last weekend to exact revenge for the 2-0 loss they suffered to them in the second match of the season. That latest impressive win, coupled with Brentford’s 2-0 loss to league leaders Liverpool, has put these two teams just a point apart. A win for the hosts will see them steal Brentford’s 11th spot, but they require six points, at the time of writing, to get into the top 10.

Fulham are in 10th, and they host Manchester United at Craven Cottage at 7pm the same day, so the Palace players will undoubtedly be watching this match keenly.

Oliver Glasner’s side started the season impaired with a reduced selection, due to injuries and registration deadlines, having to call upon several youth prospects to fill the bench, but players like Eddie Nketiah, obtained from Arsenal for £25 million last summer, and Ismaila Sarr, who joined the same time from Marseille, have given the club a much-needed attacking boost now that they have settled in. And now they have welcomed wonderkid Romain Esse from South London rivals, Millwall. The £14.5 million prospect is the most exciting prospect to come out of the Championship.

The next half of the season is looking up for the Eagles, and if they can win here at home, then they will be just one place outside the top 10, which is a fantastic achievement given their troubling start to the campaign.

Brentford were also defeated at home by Arsenal recently – 3-1 – in their first game of 2025. Then, The Bees had to play Manchester City (2-2) and Liverpool (0-2) at home, so they’ve had some tough fixtures to kick the New Year off.

Despite only winning one from their last seven league games, they were able to inflict an upset on the current champions Manchester City, in a 2-2 draw at home. Phil Foden netted twice within 12 minutes in the second half, but Brentford roared back to score twice in the last 15 minutes and very nearly got the win.

However, they have the current league leaders Liverpool to contend with next, who they have already lost 2-0 to this season.

Their last win was a 5-0 thrashing of rock-bottom Southampton, who look all but certain for the drop.

Brentford’s season has been quite inconsistent, but they are cleverly collecting points against the teams they should be, such as Crystal Palace, Southampton twice, Wolves, Ipswich, Bournemouth, Leicester City.

They have lost to all the bigger teams, such as Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham, Man United, Aston Villa, Chelsea, an in-form Nottingham Forest, and Arsenal; although they were able to defeat Newcastle, who are now fourth.

So, they are securing the points they have the most chance of winning, but if they aim to remain in the top half or even mount a challenge for the top six, they will have to get a few more impressive wins, as they managed against Newcastle, starting with Crystal Palace on Sunday.