Caoimhin Kelleher Leads Brentford as No 1

Caoimhin Kelleher has picked up exactly where he left off. Last season he finally found rhythm in red and white; this one, he looks like he owns the shirt. Calm, assured, and no longer the deputy, the Irishman has turned “promising backup” into undisputed Brentford No 1.

Keane Lewis-Potter

On the left, Keane Lewis-Potter has quietly become one of the stories of Brentford’s start. The club moved for El Hadji Malick Diouf, yet Lewis-Potter has refused to budge. He has barely made a mistake all campaign, tightening up defensively while still driving forward with menace. Up against Rayan on Saturday, he faces one of his sternest tests so far, but nothing in his form suggests he’ll shrink from it.

Jannik Schuster

Inside him, all eyes fall on Jannik Schuster. The narrative changed the moment Nathan Collins limped off 20 minutes into the draw with Sunderland. Schuster stepped in for his Premier League debut and looked like he’d been there for months. Early composure, strong positioning, then that crucial block on the line to snuff out a certain Sunderland goal. Keith Andrews did not hold back with his praise, and with Collins expected to spend the weekend in the treatment room, Schuster now walks into his first top-flight start.

Kris Ajer

Alongside him, Kris Ajer is untouchable right now. Fresh from a strong World Cup with Norway, he has strung together a run of commanding league performances and nailed down his spot. With Sepp van den Berg sidelined, Ajer’s place is as secure as anyone’s in this XI.

Michael Kayode

On the opposite flank, Michael Kayode is back under the spotlight. He endured a rough outing last weekend and was withdrawn at half-time, but his overall trajectory remains sharply upward. The young right-back has impressed consistently, and with Roberto Mancini watching on at Elland Road during the thrilling late-August draw, an Italy call-up feels close. He should start again, with plenty still to prove.

Mamadou Sangaré

In front of the defence, Mamadou Sangaré will be desperate to reset. One of three players hooked at the break last time out, he suffered a rare off day. The version Brentford need is the one that dominated against Spurs and Leeds, snapping into tackles and moving the ball quickly. He’ll have to hit that level against a Bournemouth midfield marshalled by the ever-impressive Alex Scott.

Vitaly Janelt

Beside him, Vitaly Janelt remains the immovable object. He keeps Yehor Yarmoliuk out of the side without fuss, and his performance against Sunderland – capped with a goal – only tightened his grip on the role. Janelt has become the player coaches hate to drop and opponents hate to chase.

Mikkel Damsgaard

Higher up, everything still revolves around Mikkel Damsgaard’s mood. When he’s on it, he can tilt an entire match by himself. Those days have been sporadic, flashes rather than full shows, but the glimpses this season hint at something building. If he finally “turns the key” and sustains his influence, Brentford suddenly look like a side that can sweep past teams rather than edge them.

Kevin Schade

Out wide, Kevin Schade brings the spark. The German international has opened the campaign with intent: busy, direct, already off the mark. He injects pace and optimism into an attack that sagged badly last weekend. He should start on the left and is central to any plan to raise the tempo.

Jaidon Anthony

On the right, Jaidon Anthony has earned his shot. Dango Ouattara’s return to familiar surroundings did not go to script against Sunderland; his display never caught fire. Anthony, by contrast, looked sharper, more dangerous, and thought he had his goal before VAR intervened. He didn’t transform the game, but he offered more than Ouattara and has a strong case to come into the XI.

Igor Thiago

Up front, the debate is loud, but the decision feels simple. Igor Thiago has not exploded yet. The goals have been slow to arrive, and the scrutiny is fair. Even so, his ceiling remains that of one of Europe’s most feared strikers, and the sense grows that he is edging closer to that breakout performance. If it comes on the south coast this weekend, Brentford don’t just have a chance of three points – they have a platform for their entire season.