Chelsea’s London-heavy start to the season continues with a short trip to West London to face Brentford, their fourth successive derby to open the new Premier League campaign.
Both sides come into this one with different stories to tell, Brentford are searching for stability after a turbulent summer, while Chelsea aiming to maintain an unbeaten start before the Champions League kicks off next week.
Brentford – Finding their feet under Andrews
It’s been a challenging few months for the Bees, who saw key figures depart on and off the pitch.
Yoane Wissa sealed a late move to Newcastle, following Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard, and long-time boss Thomas Frank out of the club.
New head coach Keith Andrews has endured a mixed start, taking just one win from three league outings (L2).
A gut-punch defeat to Sunderland just before the break, conceding in the 96th minute of a 2-1 loss, has only added pressure.
Still, the Gtech Community Stadium remains a source of hope: Brentford have won three of their last four home league matches and will look to harness that energy against a visiting giant.
Chelsea – A positive feeling
For Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, early signs point to growth.
The Blues brushed aside Fulham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in their last outing, despite some refereeing drama, and remain unbeaten across their opening three fixtures (W2, D1).
It’s only the second time in seven seasons they’ve managed two wins in their first three league games, and confidence is starting to build.
Chelsea have also been efficient travellers recently, taking three wins from their last four Premier League games away from home (L1).
With their European campaign about to get underway, Maresca will be eager to keep that rhythm going.
Head-to-Head Record
The Premier League meetings between these sides have been unusual: just one of the eight encounters has been won by the home team (D3, L4).
Brentford’s three victories have all come at Stamford Bridge, leaving them without a single home league win over Chelsea since promotion (D3, L1).
Stats Corner
- Brentford have registered the joint-fewest shots in the league so far (24).
- The Bees have scored exactly once in each of their last four Premier League matches.
- Only two of Chelsea’s last eight away games in all competitions produced goals at both ends.
- Chelsea boast nine clean sheets across their last 15 league fixtures.
Players to Watch
- Igor Thiago (Brentford): The Brazilian forward has made a bright start, scoring three goals in four outings and picking up back-to-back yellow cards, a sign he’s never far from the action.
- Enzo Fernández (Chelsea): The Argentine midfielder continues to be a creative heartbeat, directly involved in 14 goals across his last 18 games for the Blues (5 goals, 9 assists).
Team News
- Brentford: Long-term absentee Vitaly Janelt remains sidelined.
- Chelsea: Liam Delap and Levi Colwill miss out, though Cole Palmer and Roméo Lavia could feature after returning to training.
Potential Lineups
Brentford: 4-2-3-1 – Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Lewis Potter; Yarmolyuk, Henderson; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago.
Chelsea: 4-2-3-1 – Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo; Neto, Estevao, Garnacho; Joao Pedro.
Where can you watch the match?
United Kingdom: Sky Sports
United States: NBC
Canada: Fubo
India: JioHotstar
Australia: Stan Sport
Nigeria: SuperSports
Score Prediction: Brentford 0-2 Chelsea
My prediction :
Brentford will hope home advantage can spark a response after a rocky start, but Chelsea’s form and defensive solidity suggest they may have too much quality on the day. 2-1 to the Blues.
