Brentford Under-21s return to Professional Development League action on Tuesday when they face west London rivals Queens Park Rangers Under-21s at the TSG Training Centre (1.30pm kick-off).

Sam Saunders' side will play their first game of 2026 looking to continue the rich vein of form which saw them end 2025 in second place.

Speaking ahead of the west London derby, Saunders says his squad are eager to return to competitive action and continue their push towards the top of the table.

"We finished 2025 in a good place and the focus now is on carrying that momentum into the new year," said Saunders.

"The group have come back in really well and there’s a good energy around the place."

With Brentford just one point off the top, Saunders believes consistency will be key in the second half of the campaign.

"We know how tight it is at the top, so every game matters," he added.

"The challenge for us is to keep our standards high and keep improving, because that’s what has put us in this position.”

Saunders also addressed recent loan moves for Michael Olakigbe and Iwan Morgan, who have temporarily joined Swindon and Shrewsbury, respectively.

"Michael going to Swindon and Iwan joining Shrewsbury are really positive moves," he explained.

"They both need that exposure to men’s football and regular minutes, and it’s a big part of their development."

"From our side, it creates opportunities for others in the group, and that competition is healthy."

Last time out

The young Bees' most recent league fixture saw them claim an emphatic 3-0 victory away at Swansea City.

Brentford were in control throughout the contest, with Luka Bentt scoring twice to put the west Londoners firmly in command before Chanse Headman added a third to seal a comfortable win.

About QPR

The Hoops go into Friday's game sat seventh in the PDL table with four wins, six draws and four losses from their 14 games.

QPR have fallen to successive defeats against Burnley and Cardiff, although they did win their previous three fixtures before that.

Media coverage

The club will have updates of the game against QPR on social media, as well as a match report on the club's website and app.