Brentford travel to Birmingham City in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday, with Keith Andrews expected to make changes after the win over Tottenham.
There’s barely been time for Brentford to catch their breath after an impressive Premier League opener, with their focus now shifting quickly to the Carabao Cup second round.
Keith Andrews and his side make the trip to St Andrew’s on Tuesday, just three days after that 3-0 statement win over Tottenham at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The quick turnaround hands Andrews a chance to show off the squad depth he praised after Saturday’s win. Brentford have added real strength over the summer, and facing Championship opposition could open the door for
There’s still plenty riding on this. The Bees have made the quarter-finals in their last two Carabao Cup campaigns and will want to keep that run going.
Birmingham, though, will do their best to make sure Brentford’s passage is anything but straightforward.
Brentford Team News
After fielding a strong side against Tottenham, the question is how much the Bees will rotate.
Sepp van den Berg remains sidelined with a groin injury that is expected to keep him out for the opening weeks. Antoni Milambo, still working his way back from an ACL injury, also missed the Premier League opener, he has returned to full training, but is unlikely to feature against Birmingham.
Otherwise, Brentford had most of their squad available at the weekend. That gives Andrews plenty of scope to rotate.
Hákon Valdimarsson could get a run-out in goal, with Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Kristoffer Ajer and new signing Jannik Schuster all options at the back.
There could be chances further up the pitch too. Callum Wilson and Jaidon Anthony, both summer arrivals, add competition in attack, while Mathias Jensen and Yehor Yarmoliuk are pushing for minutes in midfield.
Mamadou Sangaré caught the eye on his Premier League debut against Tottenham. But with a trip to Leeds United coming up on Sunday, it remains to be seen as to whether Andrews will ask the same players to go again for a third time in eight days.
The line-up Andrews picks will offer an early clue as to how he plans to use his squad depth this season. The Bees will not want to risk a second-round exit, but with such a short turnaround between matches, they also need to avoid pushing players too hard just a week into the campaign.
Birmingham Form and Team News
Chris Davies has overseen an unbeaten start to the season for Birmingham.
Birmingham kicked off their Carabao Cup campaign a week before Brentford, edging past Swansea City 1-0 away in round one. Since then, they’ve drawn 0-0 at Sheffield United in the Championship and shared the points in a 2-2 home draw with Bristol City on Saturday.
Davies faces a similarly hectic schedule. Birmingham hosted Bristol City on Saturday, now take on Brentford, and then hit the road for Wrexham on Friday night.
That could mean both managers shuffle their line-ups, though Birmingham have already shown they’re taking the competition seriously after winning at Swansea to reach round two.
What to Expect
On paper, Brentford are favourites given the gap between the sides, but the circumstances could easily level things out.
A Premier League side making wholesale changes and heading to a Championship ground in a knockout tie - it’s exactly the sort of scenario that can get tricky if the visitors don’t settle early.
Birmingham have only conceded twice in their opening three games and have already shown they can handle tough away days, as they did at Sheffield United.
Even with changes, Brentford should still have enough quality to get the job done.
Saturday’s win was a reminder of the options now at Andrews’ disposal. He’s called this the deepest squad he’s had at Brentford, and Tuesday is a chance for those waiting in the wings to prove it.
It could also be a big night for Wilson, Anthony and Schuster if they’re handed their first competitive starts for the club.
There is also a cup record Birmingham will be keen to change. They have not progressed beyond the second round of the Carabao Cup in any of the last 10 seasons, although home advantage and a solid start to the campaign should give them reason to believe that run can end here.
When Is Birmingham City vs Brentford?
Birmingham City welcome Brentford on Tuesday, August 25. Kick-off is at 8pm BST at St Andrew’s.
How to Watch Birmingham City vs Brentford
Fans in the UK can watch the game live on Sky Sports+ as part of the Carabao Cup coverage.
Prediction
Birmingham’s unbeaten start and home advantage could make this a trickier night for Brentford than the gap between the divisions might suggest.
How much Andrews rotates will matter, but Brentford now have enough senior depth to freshen things up without losing that Premier League quality.
The Bees might have to dig deeper than they did against Tottenham, not all games will come as easy as the opener did, but they should have enough to book their place in round three.
Prediction: Birmingham City 1-2 Brentford
