Brentford handed double injury boost over Ethan Pinnock and Kevin Schade | OneFootball

Getty Images

Thomas Frank has revealed injured duo Ethan Pinnock and Kevin Schade are close to returning to the Brentford squad but their availability will go down to the wire ahead of matches at the start of April.

Schade, who has missed much of the season with an adductor injury, and Pinnock (ankle), will miss Brentford's Premier League clash with Manchester United at Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.

And Frank revealed the pair's fitness for matches against Brighton on April 3 and Aston Villa three days later "will be tight".

Brian Mbeumo had filled the void left by the suspended Ivan Toney before the striker returned to action in January but the Cameroon international's season was disrupted when he picked up an ankle injury in December, ruling him out of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mbeumo - who has had a hand in 10 league goals this season, scoring seven - picked up crucial minutes in Brentford's 2-1 defeat to Burnley before the international break.

Frank offered a positive update on the forward's fitness, saying: "Bryan, of course, is further down the line and that's very, very good,"

"He has two more weeks under his belt and played an in-house game on Thursday."

Brentford's injury woes continue, however, with Rico Henry, Josh Dasilva and Ben Mee ruled out for the remainder of the current campaign.