Swansea vs Brentford preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football Red Button
Watch live on Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app from 7.40pm on Tuesday; Kick-off 7.45pm
Monday 21 October 2019 18:20, UK
Swansea face Brentford in the Sky Bet Championship on Tuesday. Coverage gets under way live on Sky Sports Football Red Button at 7.40pm; Kick-off 7.45pm.
Team news
Swansea boss Steve Cooper is hopeful defender Joe Rodon will recover in time after he was forced off during the 1-1 draw with Barnsley after taking a knock to his ankle.
If Rodon does not recover in time then Cooper will turn to either Ben Wilmot or Ben Cabango to fill the void. Winger Aldo Kalulu is still a fortnight away from a return with an ankle injury of his own.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank is hoping for news regarding striker Nikos Karelis. Karelis was carried off on a stretcher with an injury to his right knee as he made his debut in the win over Millwall.
Karelis will be assessed but Frank confirmed he would not make the trip to south Wales. Sergi Canos remains a long-term absentee but defenders Luka Racic and Mads Bech Sorensen are back in full training with the west London side.
Recent form
Since Cooper scooped the Championship manager of the month award for August, Swansea's form appears to have been on the slide. A win against lowly Barnsley at the weekend would have moved them just a point behind leaders West Brom, but they could only earn a 1-1 draw at Oakwell. Stoke were the victors in a clash at the bet365 Stadium prior to the international break and their last league win came against Charlton on October 2.
Brentford stunned Millwall at Griffin Park on Saturday, coming from 2-0 behind heading into the final six minutes to earn a 3-2 victory, but inconsistency continues to plague Frank's side. That win was their first in four, following a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest and a 1-1 draw with Bristol City.
Talking point: Are things starting to click at Brentford?
It remains a prevalent point that Brentford remain in the bottom half of the Championship table, despite having spent a figure reportedly exceeding £30m this summer. Prior to the visit of Millwall on Saturday, they had not won since the 3-1 victory away at Barnsley and the pressure on Frank increased ever so slightly.
It looked to be another below-par afternoon when they approached full-time 2-0 down to the Lions and the groans from the Griffin Park crowd were becoming audible. But a remarkable rally in the final minutes of the game saw them come back to win 3-2.
Frank's attacking options have slimmed in the last few weeks, with Canos out for the season with a knee injury and Karelis having seemingly suffered a similar fate at the weekend, but another win could lift the Bees to the verge of the play-off picture and kick-start their final season at Griffin Park.
Latest highlights
Opta stats
Swansea City have won their last five league matches against Brentford, a run stretching back to March 2006.
Brentford have won just one of their last 18 away league games against Swansea (W1 D5 L12), a 2-0 win in February 1995.
Swansea are winless in three home league matches (W0 D1 L2), last enduring a longer run in May 2018 under Carlos Carvalhal (four games).
Brentford have managed just five wins in their last 31 away Championship games (W5 D10 L16), losing four of their last five (W1 D0 L4).
Swansea have lost just three of their last 35 home league games played on Tuesday (W17 D15 L3), winning their last two, including a 3-0 win over Brentford.
Under Thomas Frank, Brentford have played three away league matches on Tuesday and lost all three, conceding seven goals and scoring none.
Prutton's prediction
David Prutton predicts: 2-2 (12/1)
