Chelsea vs Brentford Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Liam Rosenior is set to oversee his first Premier League match as Chelsea head coach when the Blues host in-form Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. The two West London sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium four months ago.

Rosenior’s tenure began with a resounding 5-1 FA Cup victory over Charlton Athletic last weekend, but his first outing at Stamford Bridge ended in disappointment as Chelsea fell 3-2 to Arsenal in the opening leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Tuesday. With fixtures coming thick and fast and results mixed in his opening days, Rosenior has emphasized the need for his squad to “learn quickly” if they are to turn things around—especially as discontent among supporters towards the club’s ownership continues to simmer.

Chelsea now face a busy run of five matches before meeting Arsenal again in the second leg, including three crucial Premier League games against Brentford, Crystal Palace, and West Ham. Currently eighth in the table, the Blues are eager to climb back into the Champions League spots.

However, Chelsea’s recent league form has been concerning, with just one win from their last nine Premier League games (five draws, three losses). They have conceded the opening goal in each of their last three league matches, a streak they haven’t extended to four since November 2023.

Historically, new Chelsea managers have struggled in their first Premier League games—since Maurizio Sarri in 2018, only Graham Potter has won his debut league match in charge, beating Crystal Palace in October 2022. Rosenior faces a tough task, as Chelsea have only one win in their last eight top-flight meetings with Brentford, that lone victory coming in this fixture last season.

Brentford, meanwhile, have exceeded expectations after a summer of significant change. The Bees are flying high in fifth place, just two points behind defending champions Liverpool and a comfortable 19 points clear of the relegation zone. Only Arsenal have collected more points in the last six Premier League games than Brentford, who have earned 14 and scored 13 goals in wins over Wolves, Bournemouth, Everton, and Sunderland. They also advanced in the FA Cup last weekend, beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 to extend their away winning streak to three matches across all competitions.

A fourth-round FA Cup tie against Macclesfield—who knocked out Crystal Palace—awaits Brentford next month, but for now, Keith Andrews and his side are focused on a challenging stretch of five consecutive league fixtures against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Newcastle, and Arsenal.

Brentford have never drawn any of their nine previous league visits to Stamford Bridge, recording four wins and five losses. They won three in a row before falling 2-1 in their most recent trip in December 2024. Success in London derbies has been elusive for the Bees, who have lost 11 of their last 15 away league games against fellow London clubs, conceding at least two goals in each defeat—including three consecutive 2-0 losses.

Chelsea remain without Levi Colwill (ACL), Romeo Lavia (thigh), and Mykhailo Mudryk (doping suspension), while both Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens are still sidelined due to illness and are unlikely to feature this weekend. Cole Palmer (thigh) and Reece James (hip), who missed the midweek loss to Arsenal, are expected to return to training, but their involvement against Brentford will be decided closer to kickoff. The same applies to Malo Gusto, who is also being assessed.

Moises Caicedo is available again following suspension and is likely to slot back into the base of Chelsea’s midfield. Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho will be hoping to earn a start on the left wing after coming off the bench to score twice in the second half against Arsenal.

For Brentford, Josh Dasilva, Fabio Carvalho, and Antoni Milambo all remain out with long-term knee injuries. Jordan Henderson is a doubt with an ankle issue and will be assessed before the match. Frank Onyeka is still on international duty with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, but Dango Ouattara has returned from representing Burkina Faso and could be considered for a place in the starting lineup as Keith Andrews weighs up his options.

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