Brentford v Aston Villa betting preview, tips, team news & TV channel

Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 7.45pm Wednesday

Four months have passed since Dean Smith left Brentford for Aston Villa but the 47-year-old's return to Griffin Park is a big occasion for the home side and they can enjoy it by taking three points.

Most Brentford fans would appreciate the excellent job done by Smith in a shade under three years in the Bees' dugout. But there is often an extra edge to the game when a manager comes back to his old club and that may work against the Villans, who have started to look fragile.

Villa have won just two of their last 11 games and have looked far less effective since losing attacking midfielder Jack Grealish to a shin injury in December.

Grealish is still not ready to return and Villa's fading promotion hopes will soon evaporate unless they can put together a winning run.

They staged a remarkable fightback to draw 3-3 at home to Sheffield United on Friday – scoring three times in the last 15 minutes – but the performance for 80 minutes was hugely concerning.

Midfielder Mile Jedinak – recalled to the starting line-up for his first start since September – looked well off the pace and Sheffield United keeper Dean Henderson had little to do until his mistakes for the first and second Villa goals which changed the course of the game.

While Villa played poorly and escaped with a point on Friday, Brentford were cursing their bad luck on Saturday, having dominated for large portions of a 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

It was the Bees' first defeat in 11 games but performances under Thomas Frank seem to be steadily improving and there is every chance of the Londoners forcing their way into the top half by the end of the season.

Brentford have won their last four home matches and their chances of another victory are strong enough to justify a wager at odds-against.

Recommendation
Brentford
1pt 23-20 bet365, Hills

Bet on this match at soccerbase.com

Championship standings

Team news
Brentford
Emiliano Marcondes (ankle) and Lewis Macleod (hamstring) remain sidelined.

Aston Villa
James Chester (knee) is a doubt but Jack Grealish (shin), Axel Tuanzebe (foot), Henri Lansbury (hamstring) and Orjan Nyland (Achilles) are out.

Key stat
Brentford have won their last four home fixtures.

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