Bees to swarm through Stoke's home fortress
Stoke City will be aiming to upset Premier League debutants Brentford when the two sides meet on Wednesday evening in the last 16 of the EFL Cup. The Staffordshire outfit have only lost once at home in all competitions this season, and will desperate to end a run of three defeats in the Championship that have seen them fall out of the play-off places with the chance to spring a cup shock. Read our preview here:
Five of the best
Former Northern Ireland national team manager Michael O'Neill can certainly point to some extenuating circumstances for his side's recent slump of form. Shorn of clutch of first team regulars, the Potters have naturally struggled for form. That by no means makes Brentford's task easy at the bet365 stadium, and the hosts are well-drilled in a 3-5-2 shape that emphasises height at the back and up top. Sam Surridge will have Jacob Brown for company, and they will try to push back the Bees' defensive line to create space in between the units for the likes of Jordan Thompson and Romaine Sawyers to make late surging runs to support their attacking play. Tom Ince could find himself restored to the XI at right wing-back, where he will have to resist the advancing charge of Tarique Fosu-Henry.
Charlie B. Goode
Though the visitors have lost their previous two, they can take plenty of comfort in their performances against Chelsea and Leicester City respectively, having both clubs on the ropes for large stretches of the games before falling to the narrowest of margins. Naturally, head coach Thomas Frank will roll the dice in the cup, but will remain confident of a win that would put them one step closer to an unlikely European spot. Charlie Goode will be tasked with leading the defensive trio from a central position, and his aerial strength will be key to nullifying one of the largest sources of danger. Elsewhere, Finnish international striker Marcus Forss will be handed the chance to improve on his EFL Cup scoring record of five in two, and will fancy his chances against an understrength defence,
To be Frank
It should be a tight contest, but with more pace and creativity in the away side's ranks and the ability to rotate, Brentford should also be the fresher of the two teams. bet365 have odds of 2.30 for a Bees win inside normal time.
