* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
It was painfully, typically Brentford to have their first loss in 12 come in the first leg of their Championship playoff away at Bournemouth on Monday and they were lucky to get away from the south coast with just a 1-0 deficit to overhaul on Saturday. The Cherries peppered Brentford’s goal before David Brooks’ clever assist put Arnaut Danjuma in to open the scoring.
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The visitors then woke up to make the overall stats look a little better for them but they still only had one shot on target all game. My hunch is telling me that Brentford will have a better go at it but on Saturday but Bournemouth certainly did a job on them in the first leg. The old adage is true here, the first goal is massive. So, with Wembley on the horizon for one of these two in this finely balanced clash, let’s try and unearth your three best bets.
Saturday 12.30pm: Brentford v Bournemouth
Sky Sports Football
Brentford to Win
Brentford beat Bournemouth twice in the regular season, scoring three goals and conceding one, winning both games by a solitary goal. Any win by a single goal in this game would take us to extra time with no away goals rule in the playoffs. Anything less than a win and it’s the second-tier again next season for the home side.
I think we’re in for a highly charged encounter on Saturday as this will be the first chance for many Brentford fans to take in the surroundings of their new home. We’ve seen the true impact fans have over the last few weeks and I’m thinking that will tip the balance in this game. Looking to avenge the pain of their playoff final defeat last season, I think the hosts will at least get this tie to extra time with a Brentford Win inside the 90 minutes.
Under 2.5 Goals
Both of these sides, generally, like to keep it tight, nick a goal and dictate possession. A lot will depend on who wins the midfield battle and, as we saw in the first leg, who takes their chances. Bournemouth should have been out of sight by half-time in the first leg.
However, I’m not anticipating a flurry of goals and Under 2.5 feels like the smart play. For Bournemouth it’s been five games since Overs landed while it’s been Under 2.5 Goals in six of Brentford’s last seven. Despite everything on the line I don’t see those trends changing here.
Ivan Toney to Score First
It’s kind of a surprise now if Ivan Toney doesn’t score when he takes to the field in a Brentford shirt. The former Peterborough and Newcastle hitman has netted a remarkable 31 goals from 50 games in all competitions this season but fired a blank when it really mattered on Monday.
However, there’s simply nowhere else to put your money in terms of a goal scorer bet for this game. He’s scored the same number of goals as Bournemouth’s top two combined (Arnaut Danjuma, 16, and Dominic Solanke, 15) and will be looking to make amends ahead of a potential big move in the summer. In a low-scoring affair back Ivan Toney to Score First.
Tips for Brentford v Bournemouth
Brentford to Win
Under 2.5 Goals
Ivan Toney to Score First
These three selections in a Bet Builder will give you odds of around 10/1 with Paddy Power.
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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