Fulham vs Brentford predictions: Expect goals at Craven Cottage
- Last season's two league meetings between these clubs featured 10 goals
- Both teams scored in 23 of Fulham's league matches last season
- Recommended bet: Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals
After achieving an impressive top-half finish under Marco Silva last season, Fulham began the new campaign on the front foot with a 1-0 win over Everton last weekend.
But in their first home contest of the season they will be up against it as they face West London rivals Brentford, who are fresh from a 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
Team news
Midfield ace Joao Palhinha is absent for Fulham.
Ivan Toney is suspended until mid-January for the Bees, who will likely be without Frank Onyeka, Ben Mee and Mathias Jensen.
The stats
Fulham's league games were rarely short of entertainment last season with both teams having scored in 13 of their 19 home matches in the Premier League.
Both meetings between these West London rivals last season finished 3-2 to the home side.
Brentford have shown they can still be a dangerous side without Toney, having won four of the five games they played without him last season.
Fulham's league games averaged 2.84 goals per game last season.
Prediction
Brentford were one of the biggest surprise packages in the Premier League last season, securing a ninth-placed finish under Thomas Frank, but Toney's absence until January have left many questioning whether or not the Bees can repeat the feat.
Toney was the Premier League's third top scorer behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane last term and was undoubtedly crucial to the Brentford cause.
But in their first game of the new season, they did not look short of inspiration in the final third with front two Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa both getting on the scoresheet in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
That opening match at the Gtech Community Stadium was a fine attacking performance from the Bees, who scored as many league goals (58) as third-placed Manchester United in the Premier League last season.
And when they square up against Fulham in this West London derby, there should be goals on the cards.
Fulham are another side who played on the front foot last campaign and as a result, both teams scored in 23 of their 38 league matches.
The Cottagers failed to score in only four of their home league matches last season and their games featured an average of 2.84 goals.
As last term's standings suggested, these are two pretty evenly matched and could play out another entertaining affair at Craven Cottage.
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