West Ham v Brentford Betting Preview, Monday 20 October
West Ham and Brentford close out Matchday 8 of the Premier League on Monday night in a London derby that already carries plenty of weight for both sides. The Hammers will be desperate to climb off the foot of the table after a frustrating start, while Brentford continue their search for consistency following a mixed run on the road.
With both teams short on confidence and points at a premium, this could be a tense, hard-fought affair under the lights at the London Stadium. Here are my thoughts along with a suggested bet.
Looking at the outright Premier League betting ahead of Monday’s clash, Arsenal remain firm favourites at 77/10, with Manchester City close behind at 13/4. Liverpool’s poor run of form is reflected in the market, with the Reds drifting out to 4/1, while Chelsea round out the top four at 20/1. Further down the board, the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United can all be backed at 50/1 or bigger.
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WEST HAM v BRENTFORD – Click here to bet
West Ham have endured a miserable start to the 2025/26 campaign, sitting 19th in the table with just four points from seven games. Defensively fragile and low on confidence, they come into this one on the back of a 2-0 defeat away to Arsenal before the international break.
New boss Nuno Espírito Santo has been brought in to steady the ship, but his first two games since replacing Graham Potter haven’t exactly inspired confidence — a draw at Everton was followed by a 2-0 defeat away to Arsenal. Monday marks his first home game in charge, and he’ll be desperate to make an impression, especially with the Irons still searching for their first point at the London Stadium this season.
The Hammers’ biggest issue has been balance. Despite flashes of attacking intent from Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paquetá, they’ve been far too open in transition, conceding 16 goals — the worst defensive record in the league. Their home form offers little comfort either, with three straight defeats at the London Stadium, scoring just twice while conceding ten. Nuno knows that only a strong performance this evening will help ease the early pressure on his tenure.
Brentford, meanwhile, haven’t fared much better. The Bees sit 16th on seven points (W2 D1 L4), their season so far defined by narrow defeats and missed chances. Under new boss Keith Andrews, they’ve looked organised in spells but continue to lack a real cutting edge in the final third. With Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo having moved on, much of the attacking burden now falls on Igor Thiago. The forward has started brightly with four goals in seven appearances, but Brentford still look short of the attacking spark and resilience that underpinned their mid-table stability last season.
Their 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City before the break summed things up — plenty of grit, but little end product. To make matters worse, their away record remains poor, having failed to claim a single point on the road this season. The trend is nothing new either — last term, the Bees lost their first five away league matches and collected just one point from their opening eight on the road. This season, they’ve scored only three and conceded eight in away fixtures.
That said, Andrews will still view this as an opportunity. West Ham’s vulnerability at home and Brentford’s success in this fixture in recent seasons could make this a chance to snatch a much-needed result.
Head-to-Head
Brentford went unbeaten against West Ham last season, drawing 1-1 at home before claiming a 1-0 victory at the London Stadium. The Bees have lost just once in their last five meetings with the Hammers (W3 D1 L1).
Betting
West Ham 8/5
Draw 9/4
Brentford 7/4
Verdict
This could easily turn into a cautious, low-scoring encounter, with neither side willing to take too many risks given their current struggles. Brentford’s superior recent record in this fixture gives them a slight psychological edge, but with Nuno Espírito Santo taking charge of his first home game, there’s an element of uncertainty around how this one might unfold on the outright market. Instead, attention may be better placed on alternative betting angles.
Suggested Bet: Both teams to score (No) and under 3.5 goals (Bet Builder) at 13/10
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
