Brentford play host to Leeds United at Griffin Park on Tuesday night with the opportunity to move ahead of their second-placed opponents in the Championship standings.
Leeds make the trip to London knowing that only maximum points will do if they want to ensure that they remain in the automatic promotion places.
Match preview
© Reuters
While Marcelo Bielsa has claimed that he should take the blame for Leeds's 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, it remains to be seen whether the Argentine will change his mindset regarding the rotation of his players.
The Yorkshire giants ran out of steam in last season's title race, eventually losing in the playoffs, and four losses in five outings suggests that the club are on their way to the same fate unless something changes at Elland Road.
Given that he has opted against mass alterations in the past, switching his strategy for a game of this magnitude is unlikely, although there is enough evidence to give justification to making significant changes.
Leeds have failed to score in five of their last six games in all competitions, indicating that the time may be right to introduce January arrival Jean-Kevin Augustin to the starting lineup.
At the opposite end of the pitch, it has been 11 matches since a clean sheet was recorded - a run stretching back to December 10.
Despite having recently gone through their own barren spell in front of goal, Brentford have responded with eight strikes from their last two games in the Championship.
Although the Bees have only moved up to fifth place, they are now in touching distance with the teams above them, putting Thomas Frank's side a win away from overtaking their opponents on Tuesday.
Frank would have been less than impressed with his side's defending in the second half against Middlesbrough, with two goals being conceded in the space of five minutes.
However, it created the platform for Ollie Watkins's late winner, and Frank will expect his players to continue where they left off when going toe to toe with one of their direct rivals for a place in next season's Premier League.
Brentford Championship form: WWDLWW
Brentford form (all competitions): WDLLWW
Leeds United Championship form: DLLWLL
Leeds United form (all competitions): LLLWLL
Team News
© Reuters
Despite Bielsa's loyalty towards Patrick Bamford, RB Leipzig loanee Augustin could be preferred for this contest.
Gaetano Berardi may potentially return to the first XI at left-back, which would allow Ezgjan Alioski to move further forward.
Such a move would leave either Jack Harrison or Helder Costa to drop down to the substitutes' bench, while Bielsa will be able to call upon Kalvin Phillips after suspension.
Barring any late fitness issues, Frank is expected to name the same team which began the weekend's encounter with Middlesbrough.
That would see Shandon Baptiste and Tariqe Fosu-Henry, signed from Oxford United in January, made to wait for their debuts.
Former Leeds defender Pontus Jansson is pushing for a return to the squad after injury.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Martin; Dalsgaard, Jeanvier, Pinnock, Henry; Jensen, Norgaard, Dasilva; Mbeumo, Watkins, Benrahma
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Casilla; Ayling, White, Cooper, Berardi; Phillips, Hernandez, Klich; Harrison, Alioski, Augustin
We say: Brentford 3-1 Leeds United
Unless Bielsa changes his stance regarding alterations, we cannot see anything other than a Brentford win. The Bees had to fight until the final whistle to see off Middlesbrough, but momentum can be everything to teams looking to close down rivals who sit above them in the table.
Darren Plant
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a win with a probability of 37.41%. A win for had a probability of 37.28% and a draw had a probability of 25.3%.
The most likely scoreline for a win was 0-1 with a probability of 8.55%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (8.35%) and 0-2 (5.98%). The likeliest win was 1-0 (8.53%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.93%).
