Sunderland visit Brentford on Wednesday with both clubs locked on points in the Premier League, but chasing different aims. The Black Cats sit eighth, level with seventh-placed Brentford, and remain four
points off the Champions League spots after a 1-1 fightback against Tottenham highlighted a growing belief under Regis Le Bris.
Brentford approach the Gtech Community Stadium clash in strong form after stretching their unbeaten league run to five matches. A 4-2 win over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday, featuring an Igor Thiago hat-trick, underlined their attacking threat as Keith Andrews’ side look to strengthen their grip on a European position.
Le Bris has repeatedly stressed that Sunderland’s season is built on mentality as much as tactics. Sunderland have already overturned deficits against leading sides, beating Chelsea and drawing with Arsenal, while Brian Brobbey’s powerful goal at Tottenham continued a pattern of late responses that keeps Sunderland competitive near the top of the table.
After the Spurs draw, Le Bris highlighted the impact of the substitutes and the mindset across the squad. It's a question of belief,said Le Bris. When you can turn a game around like that, it gives you confidence for the future because you know you can do it again. We've shown many times that it's possible, and that belief is always in our minds. The bench helped us once againbecause we need our finishers. Sometimes we need one, two, or three, and they helped a lot.
Igor Thiago’s treble against Everton not only ended a league drought stretching back to late November’s win over Burnley, it also moved the Brazilian close to national scoring history in the competition. Thiago now has 14 league goals this season, one short of the single-campaign record for a Brazilian in the Premier League.
That mark of 15 goals has been reached by Roberto Firmino in 2017-18, Gabriel Martinelli in 2022-23 and Matheus Cunha in 2024-25. Sunderland’s main attacking focus is Brian Brobbey, who has scored against Arsenal, Bournemouth and Tottenham. Brobbey’s three Premier League goals leave the 23-year-old one short of his four-goal Eredivisie return from 2024-25.
Brentford vs Sunderland Premier League records, history and prediction
This fixture is rare in west London league terms during recent decades. Brentford last hosted Sunderland in league action in October 2017, when a Championship meeting finished 3-3. Sunderland won the reverse Premier League game 2-1 at the Stadium of Light in August and now chase a first league double over Brentford since the 1987-88 third-tier campaign.
Brentford’s home record against promoted sides in the Premier League is strong. The club have collected 34 points from a possible 39 in such fixtures, with 11 wins, one draw and one defeat. The only setbacks were a 2-1 loss to Norwich City in November 2021 and a 1-1 draw with Leeds United last month.
Under Andrews, Brentford have also taken six wins from 10 home league games this season, alongside three draws and one defeat. That is the highest number of wins by a Brentford manager in the first 10 home league matches since Mark Warburton delivered nine victories from 10 in League One during 2013-14.
Sunderland enter the contest on a run of four successive Premier League draws. One more stalemate would see Sunderland become the first club to draw five straight matches in the competition since Fulham, who recorded that sequence between December 2020 and January 2021. The OPTA model still leans towards a Brentford success.
OPTA’s win probability gives Brentford a 57.6% chance of victory, with the draw rated at 22% and Sunderland’s prospects at 20.4%. That numerical edge, combined with Brentford’s home strength and attack led by Thiago, underpins the stated match prediction of a Brentford win, though Sunderland’s comeback record suggests a competitive contest.
Thiago spoke about confidence and support after the Everton match. It's a very good feeling,said the Brazilian striker. I'm happy for my performance and to get the three points from a tough game. Everyone supports me, everyone believes in me, so thank you to my team-mates, the staff and the fans as well. It means so much to me. It means they [fans] support me, they believe in me, they trust me, and they push me, so I'm really happy when they sing my name and when they support me.
Granit Xhaka, Sunderland AFC Captain. pic.twitter.com/MVmjrlQyeFSunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) January 5, 2026
Good Morning pic.twitter.com/Hwb1FprmrnBrentford FC (@BrentfordFC) January 5, 2026
The meeting at the Gtech Community Stadium brings together a Brentford side strong at home and a Sunderland team defined by resilience. With Thiago close to a scoring record, Brobbey improving his output and both clubs targeting European qualification, the outcome may rest on whether Sunderland’s belief can offset Brentford’s statistical advantage.
