Brentford have found their rhythm in recent weeks and now welcome an Aston Villa side brimming with confidence after edging closer to a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal spot.
The Bees played out a home draw with Everton in their last outing, but their form has been on an upward trajectory in recent months. Thomas Frank’s men have steadied themselves comfortably in midtable, and a win on Saturday would see them close the gap on Villa to just a single point, keeping a late push for European qualification within reach.
Meanwhile, Villa secured a commanding 3-1 victory away at Club Brugge on Tuesday, giving themselves a solid advantage heading into next week’s second leg. Unai Emery’s team weren’t at their absolute best in Belgium, but they were ruthless when it mattered, with Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio adding real firepower to their frontline.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
Aston Villa vs. Brentford live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Premier League match in the U.S.:
This game is available for live TV broadcast on NBC in the US. Streaming options are available on Peacock and Fubo, which offers a FREE trial to new subscribers.
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What time does Aston Villa vs. Brentford kick off?
This Premier League clash takes place at Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, England and kicks off on Saturday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sat, Mar. 8 | 12:30 p.m. |
| Central Time | Sat, Mar. 8 | 11:30 a.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sat, Mar. 8 | 10:30 a.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sat, Mar. 8 | 9:30 a.m. |
Aston Villa vs. Brentford lineups, team news
Aston Villa are approaching full strength as spring nears, with Ross Barkley (knee) and Amadou Onana (thigh) the only expected absentees for their trip to the capital.
A welcome sight for Villa fans, Pau Torres was on the bench for their recent Club Brugge victory after recovering from a serious foot injury, though Unai Emery may ease him back rather than rush him into the starting lineup.
The Villa boss could still tweak his XI, with Matty Cash, Ian Maatsen, Jacob Ramsey, and Marco Asensio all in contention, while Ollie Watkins looks to remind his former club of what they let go.
Aston Villa predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Martinez (GK) — Cash, Konsa, Disasi, Maatsen — McGinn, Tielemans — Asensio, Rogers, Ramsey — Watkins.
Injured: Amadou Onana (thigh), Ross Barkley (calf).
Suspended: None.
Brentford were without eight key players in their recent draw with Everton, but there’s hope that Christian Norgaard (concussion) and Mathias Jensen (groin) could recover in time for Saturday’s clash.
However, the likes of Rico Henry (hamstring) and Sepp van den Berg (knee) remain sidelined, while Aaron Hickey (thigh), Igor Thiago (knee), Josh Dasilva (knee), and Gustavo Nunes (back) are still some way off from returning to action.
Manager Thomas Frank is unlikely to make major changes, with Norgaard potentially replacing Yehor Yarmoliuk in midfield, while Kristoffer Ajer is expected to retain his spot at right-back ahead of January signing Michael Kayode.
Brentford predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Flekken (GK) — Ajer, Collins, Pinnock, Lewis-Potter — Janelt, Norgaard — Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade — Wissa.
Injured: Sepp van den Berg (knee), Aaron Hickey (thigh), Rico Henry (hamstring), Igor Thiago (knee), Josh Dasilva (knee), Gustavo Nunes (back), Mathis Jensen (adductor), Christian Norgaard (concussion).
Suspended: None.
Premier League fixture schedule this week
All times ET
Saturday, March 08
- Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City (7:30 a.m.)
- Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Fulham (10:00 a.m.)
- Crystal Palace vs. Ipswich Town (10:00 a.m.)
- Liverpool vs. Southampton (10:00 a.m.)
- Brentford vs. Aston Villa (12:30 p.m.)
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Everton (3:00 p.m.)
Sunday, March 09
- Chelsea vs. Leicester City (10:00 a.m.)
- Tottenham Hotspur vs. AFC Bournemouth (10:00 a.m.)
- Manchester United vs. Arsenal (12:30 p.m.)
Monday, March 10
- Newcastle United vs. West Ham United (4:00 pm)
