Brentford head coach Keith Andrews expects to face a selection headache after their 2-0 win over Bournemouth in the EFL Cup.

Following on from their 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League, Fabio Carvalho and Igor Thiago helped the Bees reach the third round of the competition.

The likes of Frank Onyeka, Kristoffer Ajer, and Aaron Hickey all made their first starts of the season as Andrews rotated his side in their cup win.

With a trip to Sunderland next on Brentford's league schedule, Andrews believes many players have shown their worth to the side now.

"We knew it'd be a tough test for obvious reasons; it was probably as tough of a draw that we could've got away from home against a very good Premier League team," said Andrews.

"I wanted to utilise the squad this week because they deserve it. It doesn't really surprise me, to be honest, it's what I fully expected; a performance to make me think about things going into the game against Sunderland. There were some outstanding performances.

"Playing three 90-minute games in the space of a week was always going to be difficult for everybody to do so early in the season, and I think you could see the commitment levels and the togetherness of the group was there in abundance.

"It's a carry on from the other day [against Villa] in terms of that solidity and that selfless nature of how we played the game."

Regis Le Bris' Sunderland were knocked out in the second round of the EFL Cup by League One side Huddersfield Town.

The Black Cats lost 6-5 on penalties, with the match finishing 1-1 after 90 minutes, after 19-year-old Milan Aleksic missed the decisive spot-kick.

Le Bris still managed to see the positives in the result, including a first Sunderland goal for Marc Guiu.

"It wasn't enough to win the game, but we gave many players valuable minutes, so it is a positive for the future," said Le Bris.

"It is important for our strikers to score, and tonight Marc got his first for the club. That gives him confidence and some key references he will need to build on with his team-mates. It is a good step for him.

"Nordi [Mukiele] and Arthur [Masuaku] brought good energy to their game. They haven't played much during pre-season for various reasons, so it was like their first pre-season match. Now they will be ready for Premier League action."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sunderland – Eliezer Mayenda

Eliezer Mayenda scored Sunderland's first goal of the Premier League season and was rested during their EFL Cup defeat to Huddersfield.

Le Bris may want to see from Mayenda, however, with the striker making just three passes and completing two so far this season. This is both the fewest passes and successful passes in a player's first two Premier League starts on record since 2003-04.

Brentford – Dango Ouattara

After enjoying his best top-flight campaign last season (seven goals, four assists), Dango Ouattara started his Brentford career with a winner against Villa on debut.

Ouattara could become the first Bees player to score in his first two appearances in the Premier League for the club.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

In their previous 16 Premier League campaigns, only once have Sunderland won their first two home matches in a season, winning their opening two at the Stadium of Light in 2001-02 under Peter Reid.

Le Bris became the sixth of the last seven Sunderland managers to win their first home Premier League match in charge, but of those, only one went on to win their first two home games (Gus Poyet in 2013).

This will be the 940th different fixture to have been played in the Premier League. They last faced off in the top-flight in the 1946-47 campaign, with the Black Cats winning 3-0 away and 2-1 at home.

No team has won more away Premier League points than Brentford in 2025 (23 – seven wins, two draws, two losses). It is already more away points than they managed in 2022 (22), 2023 (19) and 2024 (12) and is their joint-most away top-flight wins in one year, also winning seven in 1937.

Brentford have won their last eight Premier League matches against newly promoted teams by an aggregate score of 28-6, with their last defeat to a promoted side coming in March 2024 away at Burnley.

Sunderland are winless in their last five meetings with Brentford in all competitions (drawn two, lost three), with this the first since a 2-0 home loss in the Championship in February 2018.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Sunderland – 33.2%

Draw – 28.2%

Brentford – 38.7%