The 2024/25 Premier League season kicks off with a London derby as Brentford hosts Crystal Palace on August 18, 2024, at 14:00. Both clubs have had relatively quiet transfer windows, leading to concerns about their prospects for the season ahead.

Brentford faces an early setback with the injury of their new striker, Igor Thiago, who is sidelined for an extended period. With Thiago being one of only two new signings, Thomas Frank’s squad may be in for a challenging season after a disappointing 16th-place finish last year. The Bees have struggled in this fixture historically, failing to win any of their last six Premier League meetings against Crystal Palace (5 draws, 1 loss). This is the most times Brentford has faced an opponent in the competition without securing a victory, a record they share with Newcastle. Coupled with only one win in their final four league matches last season (1 draw, 2 losses), Brentford fans may fear a difficult start to the new campaign.

In contrast, Crystal Palace finished last season on a high note after the arrival of manager Oliver Glasner in February. The Eagles ended the campaign with six wins in their final seven matches (1 draw), showcasing a strong resurgence under Glasner’s leadership. However, their ambitions for climbing higher up the table may have been hindered by the departure of star winger Michael Olise to Bayern Munich. Olise was instrumental last season, contributing to 16 goals (10 goals, 6 assists), making his loss a significant blow.

Crystal Palace was the third-lowest scoring team away from home in the Premier League last season, with only 20 goals. Glasner’s challenge during the offseason has been figuring out how to improve their away form. The team is aiming to secure back-to-back wins in this fixture for the first time since December 1957, but given their mixed results against lower-half teams on the road last season (4 draws, 3 losses), a repeat of last season’s 1-1 draw at Brentford might be the most likely outcome.

Players to Watch: Brentford will be hoping Ivan Toney can break his 12-match Premier League goal drought, though he has failed to score in the last three league encounters against Palace. For Crystal Palace, Jean-Philippe Mateta has been the standout player since Glasner took charge in February, scoring 13 Premier League goals—more than any other player at the club during that period.