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After both overcoming lower-league opponents in the EFL Cup, London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford will meet in a Premier League derby this Saturday.
Tottenham, under Ange Postecoglou, made hard work of their clash with Coventry City but eventually secured a 2-1 victory, while Brentford earned a 3-1 win against Leyton Orient.
Match Preview
Just a day after reaffirming his track record of winning trophies in his second year at a club, Postecoglou came close to seeing Tottenham’s EFL Cup dreams dashed by Coventry. Spurs were on the verge of an upset as Brandon Thomas-Asante’s goal seemed destined to seal Coventry’s win, but late substitutions turned the tide. Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson, the latter previously criticized, scored vital goals to complete the comeback.
Despite their struggles in attack, Tottenham’s dramatic late win might offer a glimmer of hope for improvement, as the team has fallen far from their heights of last season. In fact, Spurs couldn’t even manage a victory against a weakened Arsenal team at home last weekend. Once again, their vulnerability from set-pieces was exposed when Gabriel Magalhaes headed in a corner, marking the 25th Premier League goal Tottenham have conceded from dead-ball situations since last season began.
Currently sitting in an unlucky 13th place after a slow start to the season, Spurs will aim to avoid a third defeat in their opening five matches—a situation they haven't faced since 2008 when Juande Ramos departed after just eight games.
Brentford, like Spurs, had to fight their way through the third round of the EFL Cup against Leyton Orient. After an early goal from Brandon Cooper gave Leyton Orient the lead, Brentford’s supporters didn’t have to wait long for a response. Fabio Carvalho leveled the game with a spectacular overhead kick, followed by Mikkel Damsgaard's header and Christian Norgaard's goal, securing a 3-1 win.
The victory maintained Brentford’s perfect home record this season, with previous wins against Crystal Palace and Southampton. However, Thomas Frank’s side now faces a third consecutive away fixture against one of the Premier League's ‘Big Six’. Despite their struggles away from home this season, with defeats at Anfield and the Etihad, Brentford gave Manchester City a tough test, only succumbing to two goals from Erling Haaland.
Last season, Brentford lost all four of their North London derbies, including a 3-2 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January. However, with 17 goals scored across the last four meetings between the two sides, Saturday’s clash promises plenty of excitement.