Buoyed by a large travelling support, Gillingham head to Premier League side Brentford this evening looking to pull off a shock in the Carabao Cup.

With around 2000 fans expected to make the trip to West London, the gulf between the two sides is as wide as it’s ever been.

Once upon a time, this fixture on paper would have been a 50/50 as to who would have come out on top, but it now has the home side as hot favourites going into the tie.

For manager Neil Harris, it’s a game his Gillingham side are looking forward to, but appreciates the size of the challenge ahead of them:

“It’s going to be a tough challenge, and we’re the underdog. All the expectation is on Brentford. The lads can go out and enjoy it.”

“It’s never a free hit because the players need to perform. We will enjoy going to Brentford and enjoy the challenge of trying to stop a top-ten Premier League side.”

“We want to win, and we will be picking a team accordingly and will try and pick a game plan to give us the best opportunity to win a game of football. We know that they’re going to be very good. They’ve built a fantastic football club over the last 15 years.”

Harris however has some injury concerns going into the game and admitted a number of players would be missing from his squad:

“Both tight quads [for Olly Lee and Stuart O’Keefe]. Olly did it by striking balls in the warm-up (at AFC Fylde), which is a bit bizarre. Stuey just tightened up in the second half.”

“We are light in the middle of the park, and we hope to get Ben Reeves and Shaun Williams back as soon as possible.”

With so few players to pick from and the league surely the priority for Harris and co, tonight’s game could be a real challlenge.

If things weren’t hard enough for The Gills, Brentford manager Thomas Frank confirmed on Monday that England striker Ivan Toney would be starting the game for The Bees. He said:

“Ivan will start the game tomorrow. He is fighting for his position in the World Cup squad.”

“Of course, he is hoping to be called up. I’ve spoken many times I think he will be a perfect fit for two reasons: one his qualities and, two, his specialist role, both as a striker coming off the bench and hopefully making a difference if they need a goal in their game. And, of course, with the penalties as well.”

The Gills have yet to win away in the league this season, but Frank is expecting a tough physical encounter with Neil Harris’s players.

Frank added: “They will come and play direct. We need to be ready for the second balls, set-pieces and transition against us, then it’s about us.”

“We need to get tempo in the game, find the good positions, and we need to play with few touches.”