Brentford look to overturn a first leg deficit as they welcome Bournemouth to Brentford Community Stadium in the second leg of their 2020-21 Sky Bet Championship Play-Off semi-final.
Thomas Frank’s Bees must score at least twice to stand any chance of reaching the Play-Off Final, whereas Bournemouth know that a win or draw would be enough for them to advance.
Team News
Brentford have no fresh injury concerns to report with Thomas Frank set to largely stick with the same starting lineup from their first leg loss.
Josh Dasilva (hip) and Henrik Dalsgaard (knee) remain absent.
Bournemouth could be without Steve Cook after he suffered a knee injury in the first leg.
Ben Pearson (hip) is also a doubt and the pair could join Lewis Cook (knee) and Junior Stanislas (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Stat Attack
- Brentford are hosting Bournemouth for the first time in the post-season play-offs, but won their regular-season home clash 2-1 in late December 2020.
- Bournemouth have won just one of their last 13 trips to Brentford in all competitions (W1, D4, L8).
- Thomas Frank’s Bees have conceded just once in their last five home games (W2, D3).
- Arnaut Danjuma has scored four goals in four of Bournemouth’s last six away matches.
- Jarred Gillett was coincidentally the referee in charge of Brentford’s 2-1 home win over Bournemouth in the regular season.
Prediction
Brentford will feel hard done by to not come into this second leg with the lead or at least level, because they delivered a strong first leg performance on Monday evening yet a mixture of poor finishing and defensive mistakes as Bournemouth counter-attacked cost them.
Bournemouth meanwhile cannot afford to come here and rest on their laurels despite holding a narrow one goal lead after a disciplined clinical first leg win, as Brentford will have a home crowd behind them as well as the constant threat of Ivan Toney.
This therefore should be a competitive open game but if Brentford score first and especially early in the match, I can see them going on to get the win here in front what promises to be a loud crowd.
Prediction: Brentford 2-0 Bournemouth
Result: Brentford 3-1 Bournemouth (Brentford win 3-2 on aggregate!!!)