Fulham v Brentford: Sky Bet Championship betting preview, free tips & TV details

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Fulham v Brentford in the Sky Bet Championship.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Football and Main Event, 7.45pm Friday

Best bet

Fulham
1pt 17-10 BoyleSports, Hills

Team news

Fulham
Joe Bryan (hamstring) remains sidelined but Harrison Reed could be involved for the first time since New Year's Day.

Brentford
Mathias Jensen, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Nikos Karelis and Sergi Canos are injured. Pontus Jansson (hip) has returned to training.

Match preview

Fulham are probably the only team in with a chance of catching the top two in the Sky Bet Championship and they can maintain their promotion push by defeating fourth-placed Brentford at Craven Cottage.

Scott Parker's side are six points behind second-placed West Brom and four ahead of Brentford, who look set to for the playoffs.

The Championship is notoriously unpredictable but the Bees' chances of catching Leeds and West Brom were probably ended when they finished February with a five-match winless sequence.

Thomas Frank's side returned to winning ways with a 5-0 success at home to Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday.

It was the fourth time this season that they had won by at least four goals and reminded everybody of what a dangerous side they can be when in full flow.

But Brentford have not been good enough in tough away matches of the type they face against Fulham.

They have registered one victory, two draws and five defeats in eight away matches against the top ten.

Their overall away record is the worst of the top five teams and four of their seven away wins have come against teams in the bottom six.

Frank's side are likely to reach the playoffs but they will need to show more steel if they are to win them.

The Bees' back-line has lacked a dominant physical presence since Pontus Jansson suffered a hip injury in January.

Jansson has returned to training but it would be asking a lot for him to go up against Fulham talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic, the most complete centre-forward in the division.

Mitrovic tops the division's scoring charts with 23 goals – one more than Brentford's Ollie Watkins – but his all-round game is also valuable for the Cottagers.

As the focal point of Fulham attacks he attracts a lot of attention from opposing defenders, freeing up space for teammates to supply match-winning contributions.

And he gives Fulham the option of changing tactics and playing a little bit longer when their possession-based approach is not working.

Against Brentford, one of the best passing sides in the division, Fulham may not be able to dominate the midfield as much as they often do.

But Mitrovic's physical presence means they will always carry a threat and it may be enough to inflict Brentford's ninth away league defeat of the season.