Arguably the pick of the Championship action on Boxing Day will take place at Griffin Park as Brentford welcome Swansea City for what should be an entertaining affair.

Both teams have collected 37 points from their 23 league matches this season, although Brentford are one position above seventh-placed Swansea in the Championship table on goal difference.

Match preview

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Brentford have never played in the Premier League, but there is a feeling that the club are certainly capable of challenging for promotion this term. The Bees did make the Championship playoffs in 2014-15, losing to Middlesbrough in the semi-finals before finishing ninth, 10th, ninth and 11th in their next four campaigns.

As it stands, a total of 37 points has left them in sixth spot, just two points off third-placed Sheffield Wednesday. The top two appear to be pulling clear at this stage, but Brentford will feel that they are good enough to finish inside the top six positions come the end of the season.

Thomas Frank's side have taken 10 points from their last five Championship matches, while they will enter this game off the back of a 1-1 draw against the leaders West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon.

They thumped Luton Town 7-0 at the end of last month before losing to Sheffield Wednesday but beat Cardiff City and Fulham ahead of the welcome point against the leaders.

Brentford also recorded a 3-0 win in the reverse match with Swansea earlier this season, although the capital side lost seven straight matches to the Swans between May 2006 and April 2019.

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A run of five games without a win between November 9 and December 11 saw Swansea drop down the table, but the Welsh outfit will enter this match off the back of successive victories over Middlesbrough and Luton.

The Swans are only behind Brentford in the table on goal difference, while only the top two have lost fewer league matches than the former Premier League club (6) during the 2019-20 campaign.

Like Brentford, Swansea will believe that they are good enough to be one of the top six come the end of the season, and it would be some coup if they were to triumph in this game.

Swansea's away form in the Championship is excellent, having lost just one of their last 13 matches. That said, the sole defeat was a heavy one, losing 5-1 at West Brom towards the start of this month.

A positive result on Boxing Day would lead them nicely into back-to-back home games against Barnsley and Charlton Athletic, and Steve Cooper's side will be determined to move above the Bees in the table.

Brentford Championship form: LWLWWD

Swansea Championship form: DLLDWW

Team News

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Brentford will again be without the services of Nikolaos Karelis and Josh Clarke through injury, while Sergi Canos will miss out due to a long-term knee problem.

There are not expected to be many changes to the side that started against West Brom, although Kamohelo Mokotjo is in line to replace Christian Norgaard in the middle of the park.

Julian Jeanvier could also continue at the back with key defender Pontus Jansson battling to recover from injury, although the 28-year-old is being tipped to return to the XI for this match.

As for Swansea, midfielder George Byers will miss out through suspension, while Joe Rodon and Jordan Garrick are still on the treatment table.

Andre Ayew, Borja Baston and Bersant Celina should continue in the final third of the field, although the experienced Wayne Routledge is an option for the away side.

Aldo Kalulu is also likely to come into the manager's thinking, although the Frenchman's lack of action this season could count against him.

Brentford possible starting lineup:
Martin; Dalsgaard, Pinnock, Jansson, Henry; Dasilva, Mokotjo, Jensen; Benrahma, Watkins, Mbeumo

Swansea possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Roberts, Van der Hoorn, Wilmot, Bidwell; Carroll, Grimes; Routledge, Celina, Ayew; Baston

We say: Brentford 1-1 Swansea

Brentford will fancy their chances of picking up all three points in front of their own supporters, but it is difficult to ignore Swansea's recent away form. We are finding it difficult to separate the two teams when taking everything into consideration and have therefore backed a low-scoring draw.

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