Brentford boss Thomas Frank is in no mood to diminish the importance of the FA Cup and wants to begin an historic run in the competition when he takes his side to Port Vale on Saturday.
Few could blames the Bees for focusing on their debut Premier League campaign when naming their XI for the third-round match, with a trip to Southampton coming just three days later.
But Frank is hoping to make the most of his team’s good form to go deep in a competition that Brentford have never won, with their best performances ending at the quarter-final stage, most recently in 1989.
"We truly respect Port Vale, a good team that are doing well in League Two,” he told reporters. “I'll put a strong team out there, a strong squad to travel because I believe in keeping the momentum. We'd love to go on a cup run.
“I think about the next game, that is now the FA Cup game against Port Vale, we have to do everything we can to win and give it maximum focus. After that it's on to the next game against Southampton. I like to win, I want to win.
“I've heard that playing away to Port Vale is tricky, it's a tricky ground and will be lively. I hope we have a very fantastic cup atmosphere. We're up for it, we know how they like to play and try to attack. We'll be ready.
“I'm 100 per cent sure that Darrell Clarke will put his strongest side out because they have been hit by Covid then had a lot of other games postponed because other teams have Covid. He needs a game with his starting XI which we're looking forward to facing.”
Sergi Canos, Charlie Goode, Mathis Jorgensen (all thigh) and Mathias Jensen (groin) will miss the trip to Vale Park with Rico Henry (thigh) a major doubt, but Bryan Mbeumo returns from a calf issue. Julian Jeanvier (knee), Josh Dasilva (hip), Frank Onyeka (AFCON) and David Raya (knee) are longer-term absentees.
