Brentford boss Thomas Frank has demanded his Brentford side learn from their defensive mistakes when they host Middlesbrough this Saturday.

The Bees let a lead slip for the second time in three games against Swansea City on Tuesday night, as Andre Ayew’s late equaliser cancelled out Ivan Toney’s first-half opener at the Brentford Community Stadium.

The hosts were forced into a change at the back for the midweek affair, with Charlie Goode replacing Mads Bech Sorensen, with the Danish defender missing out through injury.

The recent inability to hold onto a lead could be something that could come back to haunt Frank’s side later in the season, and last season’s playoff finalists will be looking for a commanding performance in the last match before the international break on Saturday.

“I think that goal, we need to do better, I must say,” the Dane said. “We need to defend the one on one on the side better, and we need to defend better inside the box. 

“That is the defensive standard that we need to nail, I would say that is the bit we don’t have yet. 

“I trust all my players, I think Charlie played a fine game. We are a team when we are defending and there are many aspects to that. 

“We concede some goals that we didn’t concede last year, for various reasons. Maybe we are just a little bit unlucky, but in some aspects we need to do better defensively, one hundred percent.” 

Brentford head into the clash with Boro on the back of a run of just one defeat in their last six league matches, which sees them positioned just two points from the playoff places with ten games played. 

Saturday’s visitors are the team to catch in sixth place as it stands, with Neil Warnock’s side currently unbeaten in their last nine matches in the Championship, a run built on the stingiest defensive unit in the division.

Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli has been beaten just five times this season so far, proving just how difficult a side they will be to break down at the weekend, as two contrasting playing styles go head to head.   

This will be the seventh fixture in just 21 days for both teams, but Bees midfielder Josh Dasilva believes his side will be up for the challenge, and will have to take advantage of a game where they will have the majority of possession.

“It’s not easy but it’s part and parcel of football, I think everyone in the league is feeling it, but that’s why we love to play, the games are coming thick and fast," the 22-year-old said. 

“We will like to dominate the ball, and they will defend well, they haven’t conceded too many goals this season, so it will be a game where we have a lot of the ball.”