PEDERSEN'S PITCH BATTLE

Training's a liability for wounded Owls

- BY JASON MELLOR

ONE manager can be forgiven for dreaming about potential European opponents, while the other has to go over the smallprint to check his players are insured to turn out on a plastic pitch.

It is not that long since Sheffield Wednesday and Brentford regularly crossed swords in the Championship.

But it's a stark indication of the diverging fortunes of the FA Cup opponents that anything other than a thumping victory for Keith Andrews' side at Hillsborough would be a major shock.

The sides met in the second tier for seven consecutive seasons before the Bees' promotion to the Premier League in 2021.

Brentford have continued their impressive upward trajectory to sit fifth in the top flight.