Sunderland face a tough London test against Brentford this Saturday, with super-sub Wilson Isidor aiming to be the decisive factor once more. The match kicks off at 15:00 BST at the Gtech Community Stadium which highlighted key stats ahead of the clash.
Sunderland head into the fixture sitting 12th in the Premier League with four points from their first three games, following a win, a draw and a loss. Their recent form reads DWL, and they have scored and conceded three goals apiece this campaign. They are currently five points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Wilson Isidor has become Sunderland's most potent weapon off the bench. He came on to score a late winner against Fulham last weekend, securing the Black Cats' first points of the season. That marked his fifth Premier League goal as a substitute since the start of last season, more than any other player in that time. It was also the second game-winning goal of his top-flight career. His first was a 90th-minute strike that secured a 2-1 victory over this weekend's opponents, Brentford, at the Stadium of Light exactly a year ago. Isidor made 32 appearances for Sunderland last term, with 21 of those coming from the bench, and he has been used as a second-half substitute in both league games this season.
Brentford will rely on their main goal threat, Igor Thiago, to end his early-season drought. Despite scoring 22 league goals last season and providing 40% of Brentford's top-flight strikes, he has yet to score in the league this term. Thiago missed a penalty in the opener against Tottenham and five of his seven shots so far have been off target. He did find the net in pre-season friendlies and in Brentford's EFL Cup win at Birmingham, but his league form is a concern.
Sunderland's historical record at Brentford makes for grim reading. Their last win at Brentford in any competition was in August 1987. Since then, they have drawn two and lost two of their visits. Their broader form in London is also poor, having taken just eight points from their last 16 away Premier League matches in the capital, losing 12 of those games. They have lost their last three away fixtures against London-based teams, conceding three goals in each defeat. This adds pressure to a squad already missing Habib Diarra, who is currently sidelined.
Following the trip to Brentford, Sunderland's schedule doesn't get any easier. Their next fixture is a home match against Arsenal, who are currently second in the table, on September 12th. Fans can track the team's progress and view the full fixtures list on our site. The clash with the Gunners will be another major test as Tony Mowbray's side looks to build momentum. Brentford, meanwhile, are aiming to protect their unbeaten start to the season, having taken a win and a draw from their first two matches.
