Follow live coverage as Brentford face Aston Villa today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.

The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.

Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:

18:15

After an interminable wait, Bailey finally takes the free-kick, blasting it straight into Brentford's defensive wall. That sums up the lack of attacking quality throughout this first half.

18:14

Some smart footwork and a typical thrust towards the opposition box sees Rogers earn Villa a 20-yard free-kick. Four players stand around discussing how it'll be taken, as Emery's men have a large playbook of set-pieces to choose from.

18:12

Yellow Card John McGinn

18:12

For the first time, Aston Villa are keeping Brentford pinned back, passing around patiently and searching for any gaps. Can the away side strike before half-time?

18:10

Collins comfortably blocks a Watkins shot following Bailey's throughball. The home fans jeer their former player, who finally has a touch in the opposition box. The ex-Bees striker may have been involved in nine goals across his last 13 Premier League games in London, but he's barely had a sniff so far today.

18:08

CLOSE! Pinnock does well to divert the ball over his own crossbar when Tielemans pops up at the back post, guiding a downward header towards the target. The Belgian midfielder meets Ramsey's looping cross, but Brentford's long-serving defender saves the day!

18:06

Olsen has been able to play on, and his team launch an attack down the left. Digne's low cross is initially cleared, but Tielemans then bursts into the box and has a powerful cross-shot palmed away by Flekken. It'll be an Aston Villa corner.

18:03

Some slightly shaky defending from Villa results in Brentford winning another throw-in deep in the final third. From 20 yards out, Lewis-Potter lines up a strike, hitting firmly towards the centre of the goal. Though Olsen fields it easily, he then winces and spends some time rubbing his back - could the Villans' back-up goalkeeper have an injury problem?

18:02

Play resumes with Flekken taking a free-kick that finds Wissa on the left flank. Janelt's subsequent cross can't pick out its target, Pinnock, so Villa get the ball clear.

17:59

As the time has come for several Muslim players to break their fast, the action is paused and both teams traipse over towards the touchline. Emery and Frank naturally take the chance to issue some instructions.

17:57

Schade launches in an impressively long throw from the right side, and Mings rises highest to head it away at the cost of a corner. Mbeumo then swings it over, but Villa comfortably clear their lines.

17:55

Neither side is asserting control in a relatively open contest, which is mostly taking place in midfield. Brentford have had just 41% of the ball, but they are not really under any pressure.

17:54

While a Brentford win would take them within one point of 10th-placed Aston Villa, Emery's men will pull within two of fourth-placed Manchester City with a victory. As things stand, the Bees are favourites to prevail according to Opta's live win predictor - they have a 43% chance of winning, Villa are on 31%.

17:50

Schade is left in a heap after colliding with Disasi in midfield and it briefly seems he'll need medical attention. When it becomes clear he won't get a free-kick, the Brentford forward gets back to his feet, and play soon resumes with a drop-ball.

17:49

SAVE! Mings misses a golden chance to score! Another Tielemans free-kick - this time from the right - beats the Brentford defence, leaving Pinnock out of position. Left unmarked, Mings gets his boot on the dropping ball, but his tame close-range shot is steered straight at Flekken!

17:47

After Wissa trips Mings midway through Brentford's half, Tielemans clips a floated free-kick up towards Disasi 10 yards out. His first header is partially cleared, before a volleyed follow-up is stopped by Flekken; the flag is then raised for offside.

17:44

A counter-attack sparked by ex-Brentford defender Konsa ends with Ramsey lining up a curling shot from the left edge of the box. His effort appears to be bound for the top corner, but Collins leaps up and glances a header behind for a corner. The set-piece situation ultimately comes to nothing.

17:43

Emery will be mindful that his team have failed to win any of their last seven Premier League games after playing a Champions League fixture in midweek. If Aston Villa are to contend for another top-five finish this season, that record must surely improve.

17:41

After Bailey sees a low shot blocked on the edge of the box, Villa recycle the ball. The visitors keep their hosts penned in for a while, but then allow Brentford to counter. Damsgaard then slips a throughball into the six-yard box and, after a brief scramble involving Olsen, the assistant raises his flag for offside.

17:38

When Schade races clear down the left side, space briefly opens up for a potential chance to strike. However, a loose touch allows Disasi to steal the ball away. Moments later, McGinn gifts the ball to Wissa inside his own box, but the latter is then crowded out.

17:36

Tielemans and Norgaard fly into a midfield challenge and both briefly stay down afterwards; fortunately they are quickly back on their feet. Then, Villa's first attack ends with Bailey just failing to keep the ball in play on the right byline.

17:34

Having won 10 points from their first 12 available away from home in the Premier League this season, Villa have since won just four from a possible 27 on the road. Meanwhile, Brentford's home form has completely switched since December - they've yet to win here in 2025. That makes this game all the more tough to call.

17:32

Aston Villa kick off, and we are under way in London!

17:31

The teams are out on the pitch at Gtech Community Stadium, and kick-off in this Premier League contest is now just moments away!

17:28

Aston Villa are without both first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and in-form forward Marco Asensio, as they make two changes to the team that started in Bruges. While Olsen deputises for Martinez, Ramsey replaces Rashford in attack. Emery is also missing injured midfielders Ross Barkley and Amadou Onana.

17:23

Brentford boss Thomas Frank makes just one change to the side that drew with Everton at the end of February: Yarmoliuk drops down to the bench, as captain Norgaard returns. Jensen is back on the bench after an injury, but Rico Henry and Sepp van den Berg still feature on a long absence list.

17:18

SUBS: Oliwier Zych, Matty Cash, Marcus Rashford, Pau Torres, Andres Garcia, Donyell Malen, Ian Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde, Boubacar Kamara.

17:13

ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Robin Olsen; Axel Disasi, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne; Youri Tielemans, John McGinn; Leon Bailey, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins.

17:13

SUBS: Hakon Valdimarsson, Mathias Jensen, Ben Mee, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Yunus Konak, Paris Maghoma, Kim Ji-Soo, Iwan Morgan, Benjamin Fredrick.

17:13

BRENTFORD (4-2-3-1): Mark Flekken; Kristoffer Ajer, Nathan Collins, Ethan Pinnock, Keane Lewis-Potter; Christian Norgaard, Vitaly Janelt; Bryan Mbeumo, Mikkel Damsgaard, Kevin Schade; Yoane Wissa.

17:08

Sitting four points above today’s hosts in the table, 10th-placed Aston Villa come into this contest between two legs of their Champions League last-16 tie with Club Brugge. Tuesday’s 3-1 win in Belgium puts the Birmingham side in control before next week’s return, and they recently swept past Cardiff City into the FA Cup quarter-finals. However, Unai Emery’s men were beaten 4-1 by Crystal Palace last time out in the Premier League, where just one of their last seven games has ended in victory.

17:08

Yet to play this month, Brentford have had over a week to reflect on their 1-1 home draw with in-form Everton last time out. Having previously boasted one of the best home records throughout England’s top flight, the London club have not won a league game at Gtech Community Stadium since early December, losing five and drawing two of their last seven. Conversely, the Bees have claimed maximum points from four Premier League away fixtures since the turn of the year.

17:08

Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's Premier League clash between Brentford and Aston Villa!

15:30

Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…