Summer Series: Brentford and Fulham meet facing striker issues

Alex Keble looks at key talking points ahead of the Premier League Summer Series matches being played in Philadelphia.

Fulham v Brentford

It has been a quiet summer for Brentford and Fulham – on the surface at least. Both clubs are hoping to build on impressive top-10 finishes last season and both will ease into their first friendly of the season without the pressure that hangs over most of the other Summer Series competitors, and yet neither is worry-free.

Brentford are without Ivan Toney for the first half of the season and must learn how to play without their talisman.

Fulham, meanwhile, have the shadow of uncertainty over two of their key players, with reports of offers from Saudi Arabia for Aleksandar Mitrovic and from West Ham for Joao Palhinha being rejected. Also Marco Silva has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. 

Mitrovic has travelled in the Fulham squad to the US but Silva has said that the Serb will not face Brentford in light of reports that he is keen to move to Al Hilal.

"It is not the ideal scenario, not because he received an offer," Silva said. "It is all the situation about himself.

"As you know, he is not going to play tomorrow, he didn't play last Wednesday, he is not working properly with his team-mates, and when I say it is not the ideal scenario, this is the situation."

Silva also spent his press conference confirming reports that he also had been offered a post in Saudi Arabia. 

"My commitment for the club is clear and it will continue," he replied to questions asking whether he had accepted the Saudi offer. "I have shown my commitment to this club last season so many times.

"I will not talk about the situation. I don't come here to talk about offers and these situations."

There is a potential No 9 issue for both Fulham and Brentford, and one that threatens to harm their starts to the season – not to mention their pre-season preparations on the East Coast.

See: Can Schade seize a spot in Brentford's attack?

There were 10 goals in the two Premier League matches between these teams last season, the home side winning 3-2 at both the Gtech Community Stadium and Craven Cottage, and only three of those goals were scored by Toney or Mitrovic.

We can expect entertainment in Philadelphia, then, even if at this stage the long-term plans of both clubs are a little up in the air.

See: Willian deal allows Silva to now focus on defence

Also in this series

Part 2: Tonali v Torres key in clash of top-four rivals