If anyone had suggested before a ball was kicked at the start of the season that come January, and after 20 games, this match would be seventh versus eighth, they would have been laughed at. Many people were expecting Brentford to struggle when Thomas Frank left for Tottenham in the summer,

Head coach Keith Andrews has made two changes to Brentford’s starting XI for this evening's Premier League game against Sunderland (7.30pm kick-off GMT, live on Sky Sports).The Bees beat Everton

With Brentford seventh and Sunderland eighth after 20 games, from the outside looking in, the fixture seems too close to call. To understand where the game could be won or lost, let’s look at the stats both teams have put up in their Premier League campaigns so far.