Frank plays down significance of Bees possibly going top

Thomas Frank insists it will mean nothing if Brentford move to the top of the Championship table on Wednesday with victory over Reading.

The in-form Bees, who are unbeaten in 20 league matches, will leapfrog Norwich and move two points clear if they see off the fourth-placed Royals at the Madejski Stadium, but manager Frank said it is too early in the season for it to have any major significance.

“I am aware we are in second position and I am also aware if we win we can go first, but it is about using as little time as possible looking at that table,” Frank said.

“It doesn’t matter, it is not about where we are now.

“Of course, the higher we are the better but the only focus we have is the three points and then we just move on to the next game and I have told the players it is about now and not tomorrow.”

Brentford have already beaten Reading this season, strolling to a 3-1 home win on December 19 after scoring three goals in 17 first-half minutes.

Despite that victory, Frank believes the Royals, who can move within three points of the Bees with a win, are one of the sides who can feature in the automatic promotion picture in the final 19 matches of the season.

“We are playing against a very good side,” he said.

“Veljko Paunovic has done a top job with more or less the same squad – not only getting the team flying in the Championship after being appointed with one week’s preparation.

“But also after when they had that little dip and drop in performance to get that back going again.

“Their front four of (Ovie) Ejaria, (Michael) Olise, (Lucas) Joao, and (John) Swift are among the best in this division so we really need to step up defensively because we have been giving teams too many chances and soft goals away.

“We’ll need to be on top form defensively to get three points from this game.”