West Ham took a massive stride towards top-flight survival in their last Premier League outing when they defeated Champions League-chasing Manchester United at the London Stadium.
They also won their latest fixture on Thursday, when they secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final.
However, this encounter was far from comfortable, especially in the opening 45 minutes, whereby the Hammers failed to gain any ascendency and seemingly succumbed to huge pressure attached to their efforts for a first European trophy since 1965.
Whilst still attempting to juggle domestic and European football, David Moyes is expected to name a rotated lineup for the upcoming game against Brentford before they travel to the Netherlands for that fateful second leg.
One important change could be to rotate Aaron Cresswell for Emerson Palmieri, who deserves a start against the Bees.
Why should Emerson Palmieri start against Brentford?
An experienced professional who has played in Brazil, Italy, and France, the seasoned veteran has amassed a tremendous CV that could prove crucial in the closing stages of the season.
This, coupled with the faltering form of his defensive counterpart, sets up the Italian for a likely start in west London.
Against AZ Alkmaar, Cresswell began the encounter but failed to adequately support the defence or the attack. The Englishman didn't register any clearances, blocks, or tackles.
He was also disappointing when he ventured forward, being unable to complete any successful dribbles and only one accurate cross.
Furthermore, as per Understat, Emerson has averaged a higher xGChain90 (the total xG of every possession the player is involved in) than Cresswell (0.46 to 0.25), showing he is more threatening in offensive situations.
When comparing the two left-backs, Emerson has displayed himself to be a more reliable and influential option. This is showcased by the fact that he makes 1.75 tackles per 90, in comparison to Cresswell’s 0.84.
The 28-year-old is used to rotation, as he faced competition for game time at Chelsea with Ben Chilwell and Marcos Alonso, but has always maintained a positive attitude – as referenced by his former boss Thomas Tuchel, who described the £95k-per-week star as a man with "unbelievable qualities".
The Irons’ defence will have to be at their absolute best if they are to tame Brentford’s Ivan Toney, who has netted 20 Premier League goals this season, a total only bettered by Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.