Brentford v Cardiff preview

Brentford are likely to persist with three at the back for Boxing Day's Griffin Park clash with Cardiff in the Sky Bet Championship (kick-off 1pm).

The Bees went down 1-0 at Leeds in their last outing, but manager Dean Smith is keen to continue with the formation switch.

That should see Maxime Colin once again deployed in the three-man defence, with few changes expected for the visit of the Bluebirds.

Josh McEachran and Sullay Kaikai will be pushing for starts, however, after featuring off the bench at Leeds.

Cardiff defender Sol Bamba misses out after being given an extra one-game ban by a Football Association disciplinary hearing.

The centre-back was charged with violent conduct after being sent off at Ipswich on December 10 and originally handed a two-game ban, but that was increased on Thursday to take in the Brentford clash.

Anthony Pilkington should be fit after a back spasm but the game will come too early for Jazz Richards, even though the Wales full-back has returned to training following a long-standing foot problem.

Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock promised changes after last week's loss to Barnsley, with goalkeeper Ben Amos and central defender Bruno Ecuele Manga set to be among those to pay the price of that 4-3 home defeat.