It is the most valuable game in English football in terms of money and stature. Brentford take on Swansea City at Wembley Stadium in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final on Saturday afternoon. The winner gains a reported £150 million but more importantly, a place in the Premier League. 

The two sides faced off in the semi-finals of the play-offs last year, with Brentford coming out 3-2 winners on aggregate after overturning a 1-0 deficit from the first leg. 

However, in the final, the Bees fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat to Scott Parker's Fulham after a double from unlikely hero Joe Bryan.

Will Swansea get revenge for last year and return to the top flight for the first time since 2018, or will Thomas Frank and his side finally seal their first-ever promotion to the promised land?

Team news

Brentford will continue to assess Rico Henry and Christian Norgaard after the pair both missed the 3-1 second-leg victory over Bournemouth last weekend. Norgaard was due to start the game, but pulled up in the warm-up and was subsequently replaced by Mads Roerslev.

Midfielder Josh Dasilva has been a long term absentee for the Bees and will remain sidelined for the final. 

The Swans will be near enough at full strength going into the game. However, it is likely experienced winger Wayne Routledge will miss the final after being stretchered off against Barnsley in the second leg just several days ago. 

With both sides doing well in the second leg fixtures, minimal changes will likely be made by both managers in what is certainly their biggest game in their managerial careers up to date. 

Predicted lineups

Brentford (3-5-2):

Raya; Dalsgaard, Jansson, Pinnock, Roerslev, Jensen, Janelt, Canos, Mbuemo, Toney, Forss. 

Swansea City (3-5-2): 

Woodman; Naughton, Guehi, Cabango, Roberts, Fulton, Grimes, Hourihane, Bidwell, A. Ayew, Lowe. 

After his winning goal off the bench against Bournemouth in the second leg, Marcus Forss looks like he will be rewarded with a start in the final alongside top scorer Ivan Toney. 

After Routledge's injury, Wales international Connor Roberts looks set to return to the Swansea side at right wing-back with Kyle Naughton dropping into the back three. 

Ones to watch

Ivan Toney - Brentford

Eyebrows were raised when Brentford forked out a club record £10 million fee for Peterborough United striker Ivan Toney, but it is safe to say the 25-year-old has certainly justified that price tag. Toney was always going to have big boots to fill after Ollie Watkins left to join Aston Villa last summer, but no one could have predicted the level of success achieved in his first season in the Championship. The striker has bagged a record-breaking 31 goals this campaign, picking up nine man of the match awards in the process.

Promotion is a must for Frank's side this season if they are to keep hold of their star man. Defeat in the final could see the Newcastle United academy graduate follow in Watkins' footsteps next season. 

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Conor Hourihane - Swansea City

The 30-year-old midfielder was a hit in the Championship for Aston Villa in their promotion-winning season back in 2019. The Irishman scored seven times from central midfield and played a key part for Dean Smith's side in gaining promotion from the play-offs after beating Derby County 2-1. 

This season has been no different for Hourihane. During his loan spell, he has made 19 league appearances for the Welsh side and has scored five times, laying on two assists in the process. His wand of a left foot holds the key to unlocking many defences and is a major asset to Steve Cooper's side. His experience in previous play-off campaign's could pay dividends and seal a return to the Premier League for the Welshmen. 

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Previous meetings & play-off campaigns 

Brentford hold the record for the most failed play-off campaigns. The Bees have reached the play-offs on nine previous occasions before this season and have never been promoted. 

Swansea infamously lost to Brentford in the play-offs last year, but their previous play-off run came back in the 2010/2011 season where they defeated Reading 4-2 in the final thanks to a hat-trick from Scott Sinclair.

Looking back on the last season, the two sides could not be more even in the head-to-head records. Both fixtures ended in a 1-1 draw, with the latest game coming at the back end of January with loanee Hourihane grabbing a late equaliser. 

Last time out...

How to watch

After the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom, there will be 10,000 fans in attendance at Wembley Stadium for the final. Despite this, the game is still available on iFollow through Brentford and Swansea's respective club websites, with passes being priced at £10. 

The game is also being shown on Sky Sports Main Event with the game kicking off at 15:00 BST on Saturday 29 May 2021.

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