Brentford are set to be without six players when they travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Premier League leaders Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.

Igor Thiago, Josh Dasilva (both knee) and Aaron Hickey (hamstring) all remain out with injuries, while Rico Henry picked up a small knock over the international break - not related to the knee injury that has kept sidelined for just over 12 months - that prevented him from making his planned return in a friendly against Queens Park Rangers.

Head coach Thomas Frank has also revealed that new signing Gustavo Nunes - a £10m addition from Gremio last month - is ruled out for "weeks" with a minor stress fracture in his back, while Mathias Jensen will be sidelined for a "couple of weeks" with a calf problem.

Kristoffer Ajer was forced off with an ankle injury in Brentford's 3-1 win over Southampton prior to the international break, but the defender will be fit to return on Saturday and could start alongside Ethan Pinnock and Nathan Collins in a three-man backline.

In the absence of Jensen, Vitaly Janelt, who played at left-back against Southampton, could move back into his favoured centre-midfield role alongside Christian Norgaard, with Mikkel Damsgaard also featuring in the middle of the pitch, while Keane Lewis-Potter and Mads Roerslev could both be recalled to operate as wing-backs.

Now that Ivan Toney has completed his £40m move to Al-Ahli, Frank will rely on Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa to provide the goods in the final third. All five of Brentford's league goals have been scored by the attacking pair this term, with Mbeumo scoring three and Wissa netting two.

Brentford possible starting lineup: Flekken; Collins, Pinnick, Ajer; Roerslev, Damsgaard, Norgaard, Janelt, Lewis-Potter; Mbeumo, Wissa

> Click here to see how Manchester City could line up for this contest

Written by
Oliver Thomas