Brentford v Swansea betting tips: Bees out to end play-off pain

Preview and odds for the Championship play-off final

Brentford have the worst record in the history of the Football League play-offs and must overcome that hoodoo if they are to claim a place in the Premier League.

The Bees have appeared in the play-offs nine times but never been promoted, with their most recent disappointment coming last season when they lost to Fulham in this fixture.

Standing in their way this time are Swansea, who were beaten by Brentford in the play-off semi-finals last season and are hoping to get back to the top flight after three seasons in the second tier.

Saturday’s match is live on Sky Sports and kicks off at 3pm as we highlight a few potential Brentford v Swansea betting tips.

Brentford v Swansea match odds

Brentford’s play-off record may not fill them with confidence but they make the short trip to Wembley as 10/11 favourites to win in 90 minutes.

The Bees were the nearest challengers to the top two of Norwich and Watford but finished four points behind the Hornets in third.

Swansea were seven points further back in fourth and have a vastly inferior goal difference so have been priced up as the 7/2 underdogs while the match is 11/5 to go to extra time as it did last season.

Brentford also ended the regular season in better form with four straight wins and a 12-match unbeaten run, although they then lost the first leg of their semi-final against Bournemouth.

In contrast, Swansea were ranked 17th in the form table over the last 12 games.

Recent history suggests a cagey contest can be expected. Under 2.5 goals has paid out in seven of the last eight Championship play-off finals and is available at 8/15.

Brentford v Swansea head-to-head

Brentford may have finished higher in the table but they failed to get the better of Swansea in their two meetings which both ended 1-1.

The first was in November when Ivan Toney’s first-half goal for Brentford was cancelled out by Andre Ayew’s 77th-minute equaliser.

Brentford again took the lead in the return game in south Wales in January through Tarique Fosu-Henry after Swansea had Kyle Naughton sent off but the 10 men soon levelled through Conor Hourihane’s free-kick which was an attempted cross but dropped into the net.

Another 1-1 draw between these teams after 90 minutes is an option at 11/2 in the Championship play-off final odds while Brentford are 4/6 to again score the first goal.

Previous XI

Brentford: Raya, Dalsgaard, Jansson, Pinnock, Rasmussen, Jensen, Janelt, Canos, Marcondes, Toney, Mbeumo.

Swansea: Woodman, Naughton, Cabango, Guehi, Bidwell, Fulton, Grimes, Hourihane, Ayew, Routledge, Lowe.

Key battles

Brentford have the Championship’s top goalscorer this season in their team with Toney having scored 31 goals in his first season at the club since his move from Peterborough last summer.

He is undoubtedly the dangerman for Thomas Frank’s men but he is not the only threat, with Sergi Canos, Bryan Mbeumo and Marcus Forss having scored 24 goals between them this season.

Swansea’s main strength is in defence, with only the top two having conceded fewer goals this season, but their haul of 56 goals was the lowest in the top eight.

Centre-backs Marc Guehi and Ben Cabango will be key to keeping Toney quiet while Ayew is Swansea’s biggest threat ahead of what could be his final game for the club given he is out of contract this summer.

View the latest Brentford v Swansea odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication