A key London derby takes place on New Year’s Day as Thomas Frank makes his return to Brentford, this time leading Tottenham Hotspur against his former team.
Frank managed Brentford for 278 league games from 2018 to 2025, making this match an emotional occasion for him and the supporters. He faces a Brentford team that has surprised many by avoiding relegation threats this season.
Brentford is currently pushing for a European spot, sitting eighth in the Premier League, just one point ahead of Tottenham. Spurs come into the match after a narrow 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, secured by teenager Archie Gray’s first senior goal. However, Tottenham remains in 13th place and has struggled historically in January matches.
Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Thursday, 1 January 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: Gtech Community Stadium, London
- Referee: Andy Madley
- VAR: Alex Chilowicz
- Last Meeting: Tottenham 2–0 Brentford, 6 December 2025
Team News
Brentford
Keith Andrews is concerned about the fitness of top scorer Igor Thiago, who has scored 11 goals this season but has been playing in pain. Defender Sepp van den Berg will be assessed before the match after missing the recent 4-1 loss to Bournemouth due to injury. Long-term absentees include Josh Dasilva, Fábio Carvalho, and Antoni Milambo, all sidelined with ACL injuries. Additionally, Frank Onyeka and Dango Ouattara are on international duty at AFCON.
Tottenham Hotspur
Thomas Frank has a slight concern regarding young midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who is expected to play after having to leave the match against Palace. Captain Cristian Romero returns from a suspension, strengthening the defense. However, Xavi Simons is still suspended after a red card against Liverpool. Injuries keep Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Destiny Udogie out, while Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are also at AFCON.
Form
Brentford
Brentford has been strong at home, winning eight of their last 12 league matches there. Only Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Arsenal have more home wins since April. Kevin Schade is in great form, having recently become the first German to score multiple Premier League hat-tricks, thanks to his treble against Bournemouth.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham has had a rough start to January in previous years, losing all four Premier League matches last January. They have lost 10 of their last 16 January matches but have a decent record on New Year’s Day, having lost only once in their last eight London derbies on this date, including a memorable 5-3 win over Chelsea in 2015.
Predicted Lineups
Brentford predicted XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Hickey; Yarmoliuk, Janelt; Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago
Tottenham Hotspur predicted XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Bentancur; Kudus, Bergvall, Kolo Muani; Richarlison
How to watch Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur?
The match will be live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK, with coverage starting at 19:00 GMT.
Latest Brentford news, Latest Tottenham Hotspur news, Gtech Community Stadium
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