Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said he expects his side to face a very similar challenge from Charlton Athletic as they did on the first day of the season.
The Bees drew 1-1 with their South London rivals in August as Tommy Smith equalised an Igor Vetokele goal.
Brentford travel to Charlton tomorrow for the return match with the majority of the division separating the sides – The Bees in sixth and Charlton in 20th – and Mark said he expected the home team to set up in a compact manner.
He said his side would have to find the space to create the openings to win the game.
“I think they will be very similar to the first day of the season,” said Mark, speaking to Bees Player yesterday.
“If you look at their last couple of team sheets, it will be very similar.
“We are aware of the threat of Vetokele up front, his pace and cleverness.
“They will have two solid banks of four; they will be compact and hard to break down.
“We have to find the space and do what we do.
“It will be a tough game, they have a lot of quality players but we will be ready.”
Mark said Charlton will attempt to stop Brentford taking control of the game and he would be encouraging his side to dominate the ball.
“I hope to have a lot of the ball in every game,” he said.
“We want to impose ourselves on the game.
“We want to take care of it under pressure and make good decisions.
“If we do that we will be OK, as we say every week.
“But there is another team trying to stop us.”
Brentford have won their last three away games but lost last time out, against Watford at Griffin Park.
The Bees were reduced to ten men late in the first half when Jake Bidwell was sent off.
Andre Gray gave them the lead but promotion-chasing Watford scored twice, including a stoppage time winner, to take the points.
“We were so close to getting something out of the game,” said Mark.
“We lost a man early against a very talented team.
“We knew it would be a tough ask with ten men.
“The sending off changed the game and the players responded magnificently well.
“We were under the cosh but there was some valiant defending.
“To concede so late was very disappointing.
“Jake Bidwell has been fantastic for us so when I talk about the ten on the night I don’t want to lessen that.
“But the ten were magnificent.
“There were magnificent performances all over the pitch and it was a great shame they didn’t get something.”
Mark said The Bees would be without Bidwell for three matches as there would be no appeal of the red card.
“We can’t appeal it,” he said.
“Any appeal has to be clear cut.
“I have looked at the tackle 20 times and can’t tell.
“My immediate opinion is the one I have now; I would have issued a yellow and a stern word.
“It was a game of significance, in terms of the Championship, which the match officials would know.
“That would have been right in my opinion.”
Mark said there were options to come in for Jake and he would wait to hear whether James Tarkowski and Alex Pritchard – who both went off injured against Watford – would be available.
He said he believed his squad was good enough even with players missing.
“We have options to replace Jake,” said Mark.
“We have members of the squad that get frustrated and want to play.
“We ask them to be patient and things like this happen.
“We will be waiting for the medical team to come back on knocks to James Tarkowski and Alex Pritchard.
“The squad is strong enough to go to Charlton and get the right result.”
One man who may be added to the squad is Alan McCormack.
The defender has been out since picking up an ankle injury in October.
He played 90 minutes for Brentford’s Development Squad in a 4-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.
Mark said that players in that Development Squad group, managed by Lee Carsley, were now pushing for First Team recognition.
“It is great that Alan has played 90 minutes,” said Mark.
“It shows the work he has done after a nasty operation.
“He is back and pushing hard for selection.
“The Development Squad are gelling under Lee.
“He is demanding from the boys day-in-day-out, all credit to Lee.
“The players are showing good quality and trying to replicate what we do at First Team level.
“There are a few boys coming through, let’s see how they come through.”
Brentford are set to be backed by more than 2,000 fans at Charlton and Mark said it meant a lot to everyone.
“I can’t thank the fans enough,” he said.
“Their support means a lot to me and the team.
“The team thrives from the support.
“They want the supporters to go home happy.
“To have 2,000+ fans going to Charlton is magnificent.
“I hope we can give them something to cheer about.”
Bees Player subscribers can see a video interview with Mark Warburton here.