FA Cup Third Round Preview-Brentford

West Ham United open their 2022/23 FA Cup campaign by facing Brentford in an all Premier League third round tie at The Gtech Community Stadium this evening.

Prior to the 2020/21 season, the Hammers regularly fell at the fourth round hurdle but in the last two seasons it seems that the fifth round has been a problem for them. This again proved to be the case last season when they lost at Southampton in another all Premier League tie and they will be hoping to progress further this time around.

These two sides only met last Friday in a match from which the Bees took all three points, thanks to a 2-0 victory. The Irons have a chance to make amends for that defeat should they win here.

The travelling support will certainly want to see their team build on their 2-2 draw at Leeds United just three days ago and they will be looking for what would be only a second away success of the current campaign.

Both teams were in action this week but Thomas Frank’s side go into this encounter off the back of a 3-1 home win against Liverpool on Monday, whereas the East Londoners had to travel to Elland Road to kick-off their year on Wednesday, meaning the hosts have had one extra day’s preparation ahead of this encounter.

If the game ends in a draw, Brentford will have to make the trip back to Stratford in the week commencing Monday 16 January.

Alphonse Areola was on the bench against Jesse Marsch’s side in midweek but is likely to replace Łukasz Fabiański in goal, while Angelo Ogbonna and Emmerson Palmieri could also come in.

David Moyes may also preferred to change his striker, meaning Michail Antonio will fill in for Gianluca Scamacca, while Ben Johnson, Flynn Downes, Manuel Lanzini and Pablo Fornals are also available.

The match is a 5:30pm kick-off and the referee is Andre Marriner.