Keith Andrews’ side have been handed another away tie after victories over Birmingham City and Reading carried the Bees into the last 16.
Brentford will travel to Sunderland in the fourth-round of the Carabao Cup after the draw was completed on Wednesday night.
It is a familiar opponent for Keith Andrews and his players. Sunderland were at the Gtech Community Stadium less than two weeks ago, when Vitaly Janelt put Brentford ahead before Enzo Le Fée converted a late penalty to earn the visitors a 1-1 Premier League draw.
Unlike the league meeting, a winner will prevail in October’s cup match. The Bees have already done plenty of travelling in the competition and are yet to play at home in the cup, their first match of the campaign a 6-1 victory as they visited Birmingham City before Tuesday’s trip to Reading produced a much tighter contest.
Callum Wilson scored after only three minutes at the Select Car Leasing Stadium and Fábio Carvalho added the second just before half-time on his first competitive start in 11 months. Reading pulled one back after the break, but Brentford held on for a 2-1 win and a place in the fourth-round.
Andrews has made no secret of the importance he places on the Carabao Cup this season. He described the competition as a priority before the win over Reading.
Sunderland reached the last 16 with a 1-0 home victory over Hull City, Chemsdine Talbi scoring the only goal in the 71st minute. Régis Le Bris made 11 changes from the side that had drawn at Brentford a few days earlier, but his rotated team still found a way through.
That recent league meeting also means there should be relatively few surprises when the teams meet again. Sunderland caused Brentford problems during the first half at the Gtech and had an early goal ruled out, while Andrews’ side improved after the break before Janelt opened the scoring.
When Will Sunderland vs Brentford Be Played?
Carabao Cup fourth-round ties are scheduled for the week starting Monday, October 26, with the final date and kick-off time still to be confirmed.
The fixture will fall into an already busy week for Brentford. The Bees are due to visit Hull City in the Premier League on Sunday, October 25, before hosting Nottingham Forest on Saturday, October 31.
That gives Andrews another decision to make over how to set his squad for three fixtures inside seven days. He has already shown he is prepared to use the depth of his squad in the competition without treating it as an opportunity simply to rest his strongest players.
Birmingham and Reading both saw experienced teams selected, while players such as Wilson and Carvalho were able to use the cup to make their own cases for more minutes.
Brentford are still looking to better their run in the Carabao Cup under Thomas Frank, the Bees reaching the semi-finals where they lost to a Tottenham side managed by Jose Mourinho.
Victory at Sunderland would take Andrews’ side back into the last eight and put the chance to equal their best ever League Cup run well within their grasp.
