Frank expects Brentford players to be fit for Palace game

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Thomas Frank is confident a number of his injured players will return from injury ahead of Brentford’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on 18 August.

An injury-hit Bees side drew 1-1 at Watford on Saturday in a pre-season friendly that saw Frank field a number of players in unnatural positions.

However, the head coach expects Mads Roerslev, Ethan Pinnock, Vitaly Janelt and Keane Lewis-Potter to all return in time to face Palace.


“Mads, Vitaly and Pinnock all played in Portugal [in the friendly against Benfica] and I could have pushed them today but there was no reason for it,” Frank explained.

“The most important thing is to get them available for the first game of the season and I am very, very confident that all three will be available, and also for the next friendly against Wolfsburg [on Friday].

“Keane Lewis-Potter just has a niggly minor muscle injury but I’m very confident he will be available for the first game of the season.”

Defenders Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey are yet to feature in pre-season following long-term injuries.

Both full-backs travelled to Portugal for a recent training camp, and Frank is confident they will return to action in the near future.

He said: “They are on track to get back quick. Crystal Palace will be touch and go but I expect them to be available for the first few games of the season.”

Frank added that the club’s recent internal review following their injury issues last season has not impacted his approach in the build-up to the new campaign.

Summer signing Igor Thiago is the latest Brentford player to suffer a long-term injury, and is not expected to return to action until December.

It is not yet clear whether the injury is likely to influence the club’s plans for the remainder of the transfer window.

“We are always on the market, always looking. If there are some deals that open up that we think could be the right thing for us then we’ll do it,” said Frank.

“With Ivan [Toney] we have five very good offensive players for the Premier League that I am confident can do the job.”