Chelsea make a short trip to the Gtech Community Stadium for a daunting Premier League contest against Brentford who would pose a difficult threat regardless of their league position.
An interesting West London derby takes center stage when Brentford hosts Chelsea for what should be a fierce encounter. Both teams have yet to reach their best so far this term, but form is irrelevant in these fixtures where the three points are all that matter.
Brentford earned a smash-and-grab 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in the reverse fixture which extended their unbeaten run against the Blues to four matches. The visitors would be desperate to end that run and earn a much-needed away win.
Thomas Frank’s men have had a topsy-turvy campaign so far as a win and three draws from the first six league matches set the tone for indifferent results. Having ended up with a point from games against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, Brentford then won each of the next three against Burnley, Chelsea, and West Ham.
Liverpool and Arsenal both got the better of the Bees but they beat Luton 3-1 which proved their last win of the year as 2023 ended with five successive defeats. Although Wolves won their two-legged FA Cup Third Round tie against Brentford, the Londoners resumed Premier League action with a delightful 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest which featured Ivan Toney’s return.
Brentford are currently 14th on the log and results must be secured as they seek to rise above the relegation battle. Par for the course, Toney’s goal after eight months out will fill the Bees with hope of their marksman supplying the required goals to lift them.
For Chelsea, they will be keen to continue the winning feeling that they found in late January which sets them up for a strong second half of the season.
Mauricio Pochettino’s charges ended last year with four wins from five and six consecutive home games unbeaten despite a flurry of injured and returning players.
The campaign looks to be taking a more positive turn at Stamford Bridge after they began the season with one win and a draw from the first three league games. This was followed by three winless games during which they didn’t score, but a victory over Fulham put them on course for a win and draw against Burnley and Arsenal respectively.
A 2-0 win for Brentford against Chelsea dampened the mood around SW6 but they bounced back with a 4-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur and then another eye-catching 4-4 draw against Manchester City. The heavy 4-1 loss to Newcastle set the tone for three consecutive defeats on the road to Manchester United, Everton, and Wolves; yet Chelsea won at Luton in their final game of 2023.
Cup engagements saw the Blues defeat Preston North End but lose at Middlesbrough in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. They beat Fulham before the Premier League’s winter break and will hope to turn around the tie against Boro and maintain a good run of form in the league.
Pertinently, Chelsea must also transfer their home form into away matches as they appear to crumble under the physical battles and pressure put on them on their travels. It is worrisome to know that they have only beaten Brentford once in their five Premier League encounters and they must do much better to get a win here.
Match tickets
This game takes place at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, March 2 2024 with kick-off set for 3 PM UK time. Match tickets are available for sale on each club’s website but club members will receive priority allocation.
This fixture sees passions run high amongst both sets of supporters with local pride at stake, so the players would be prepared for a tough match with fans very much involved. The Brentford Stadium should be quickly sold out with around 17,200 expected to be present, making match tickets hard to find.
However, any supporters who cannot purchase tickets through official channels should source their Brentford vs Chelsea tickets on a ticket resale website.
Team news
Rico Henry and Bryan Mbeumo would not be ready to face Chelsea having undergone surgeries, but Brentford could have the likes of Aaron Hickey, Christian Norgaard, and Kevin Schade back from their various injuries.
Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu, Romeo Lavia, Marc Cucurella, and Wesley Fofana are all out for Chelsea and are not expected to be available for selection soon.
Meanwhile, Trevoh Chalobah has resumed training having not featured all season and Robert Sanchez could be back in the squad but it remains to be seen if he will return to the starting lineup given the form of Djordje Petrovic.
Line-ups
Injuries and suspension have ensured a bad time for Brentford throughout most of the season but they will look to have a few new faces back from injury or through the arrival lounge during the January transfer window.
One of the latter instances is Sergio Reguilon who has been signed on loan to bolster their ranks amidst Rico Henry’s long-term absence. Toney is another vital addition and his goalscoring ability could make a difference in Brentford’s fortunes for the rest of the season.
Brentford: Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Zanka, Pinnock, Reguilon; Norgaard, Janelt, Jensen; Maupay, Toney
Chelsea’s recent run of form is setting a benchmark for selection and returning players will be relishing the chance to fight for their spots. Christopher Nkunku should be a sure starter once he is fully fit but Nicolas Jackson will be available again following the end of the AFCON tournament.
Chelsea: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Enzo; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Nkunku
Prediction
This is the sort of game that has famously proved Chelsea’s undoing in recent seasons as Brentford will be compact and pack men behind the ball tow frustrate the Blues. Pochettino’s side must be wary of lightning-quick counterattacks as well as inventive set-piece routines which they have struggled with throughout the campaign.
The Bees are sure to hurt their visitors and it is up to Chelsea to put up a performance that deserves the points at stake. This should be a measured performance for Brentford who are comfortable in matches against more famous opponents.
Brentford 1-1 Chelsea.