MX23RW : Friday, August 7 12:22:25| >> :120:79219:79219:
Aug 4, 2020 at 7.45pm UK at Wembley Stadium
BrentfordBrentford
1-2
FulhamFulham
Dalsgaard (120+4')
Jensen (88'), Norgaard (103')
FT
(aet)
Bryan (105', 117')
Reed (29'), Cairney (67'), Hector (98'), Knockaert (102'), Mitrovic (104'), Cavaleiro (120+2'), Rodak (120+4')

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic available for playoff final clash with Brentford

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic available for playoff final clash with Brentford
© Reuters
The Cottagers' top-scorer is available after missing both legs of the semi-final against Cardiff.

Fulham manager Scott Parker will have top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic available for their Sky Bet Championship play-off final with Brentford.

The Serbian missed both semi-final legs against Cardiff with a hamstring injury, but has returned to training and is available for selection on Tuesday as the Cottagers look to secure a Premier League return.

Mitrovic scored 26 times in the Championship this season, the same as Brentford's Ollie Watkins, but clinched the golden boot ahead of his local rival after playing fewer minutes.

"Aleksandar is fit so we will make our decision on him," Fulham boss Parker said.

"I have a full squad to pick from, so it is now down to me to work out the best dynamics to obviously try and win the football match."

Parker is no stranger to Wembley and captained England there eight years ago against Holland, but is proud to have taken Fulham back to the venue in his first full season as a manager.

Scott Parker, right, captained England at Wembley in February 2012 against the Netherlands
Scott Parker, right, captained England at Wembley in February 2012 against the Netherlands (Nick Potts/PA)

But the former Fulham midfielder does not believe his squad will be distracted by the occasion as they look to secure promotion.

"I am excited, there is an excitement about me and I am looking forward to the game and I am very proud," Parker added.

"Of course I have been at the football club for a long time, as a player and now in my first full season of leading the club and the team to this point so I'm very proud.

"Ultimately how I look at it is very single-minded and very focused on what is ahead. It is another football match and my experiences have taught me that all the noise and everything else that comes with big games is exactly that – just noise.

"We have a real laser focus about us and understand the job at hand and what we need to do and I feel we are in a good place to do that."

Brentford's 'BMW' strike force of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Watkins have contributed 59 goals during the campaign, which is only five fewer than Parker's whole team were able to manage.

But the Fulham manager added: "Going forward they are a real threat, we have seen that with the front three players scoring a lot of goals so of course we understand that.

Brentford's 'BMW' strike force of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins, left, have scored 59 goals this season
Brentford's 'BMW' strike force of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins, left, have scored 59 goals this season (John Walton/PA)

"Like I've said many times before, we concentrate on ourselves and how we can hurt and try and punish Brentford and their flaws.

"We are playing against an extremely organised team, who have done extremely well this year and there will be challenges, but I also suspect Brentford will have some challenges and hopefully they will be greater than the challenges they cause us."

In addition to promotion, bragging rights will also be up for grabs and while Fulham lost twice to Brentford this season, they did finish level on points with the Griffin Park outfit.

Parker said: "It's amazing to think we get to the 49th game of the season and it comes down to a west London derby. It probably adds a little more.

"Even as big as the game is, it is a London derby now as well so two teams who have done fantastically well this year, separated by goal difference in the league – and hopefully it will be a very good game."

ID:408968:

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Said Benrahma of Brentford and Fulham's Michael Hector in action on June 20, 2020
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Championship playoff final: Big talking points ahead of Brentford vs. Fulham
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeeds UnitedLeeds46289977354293
3Brentford462491380384281
5Cardiff CityCardiff4619161168581073
6Swansea CitySwansea461816126253970
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest461816125850870
8Millwall461717125751668
9Preston North EndPreston461812165954566
10Derby CountyDerby461713166264-264
11Blackburn RoversBlackburn461712176663363
12Bristol City461712176065-563
13Queens Park RangersQPR461610206776-958
14Reading461511205958156
15Stoke CityStoke46168226268-656
16Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds461511205866-856
17Middlesbrough461314194861-1353
18Huddersfield TownHuddersfield461312215270-1851
19Luton TownLuton46149235482-2851
20Birmingham CityBirmingham461214205475-2150
21Barnsley461213214969-2049
RCharlton AthleticCharlton461212225065-1548
RWigan AthleticWigan461514175756147
RHull City46129255787-3045

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