Chelsea will look to keep up their pursuit of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League as they face fellow west London club Brentford in a rare Sunday night Premier League fixture.
A strong start under Enzo Maresca has seen the hosts establish themselves as perhaps the top flight’s form side and the likeliest to test Arne Slot’s league leaders until the end of the season. With Cole Palmer in sensational form and a young squad gelling impressively, their Italian manager may bat away suggestions his team are in the title race but their candidacy as challengers is hard to refute.
There will be wariness, though, of the threat that Brentford pose. While their outstanding home form has rather been undermined by a woeful record on the road, a short trip to Stamford Bridge should provide fewer challengers and a chance to continue climbing the table in a condensed group of clubs in the top half.
Follow all of the latest from Stamford Bridge, plus updates from Southampton vs Tottenham, in our live blog below:
HALF-TIME! Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
HALF-TIME! Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
The referee brings the half to an end and the hosts have the lead after a pretty dominant performance so far.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
Brentford were so drilled but a little drop in intensity and Chelsea pounced. Cucurella outstanding throughout this half and thriving in about three different positions. Under Maresca, this goal is made possible, the sprint into the box and the calm finish with the header. A crucial first goal in a gripping game like this, it sets up the second half beautifully with the Bees forced to commit more going forward.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
There’ll be just one minute of added time here. Palmer tries the effort from outside the box, before Jackson tries the wonder goal with an acrobatic effort from just outside the box.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
GOAL! The hosts are ahead!
Chelsea work a couple of attacks and the hosts work it wide to Madueke. He hangs in a lovely cross to the back post, and Marc Cucurella has made the run in between the defenders to glance it into the corner past Flekken.
Chelsea 0-0 Brentford
Chelsea win a cheap free-kick on the touchline but Palmer’s ball in can only find Tosin, who is offside.
Chelsea 0-0 Brentford
CLOSE! A poor pass from Flekken goes straight to Madueke. He surges towards goal and finds space for the shot, with a low effort forcing a good save from the ‘keeper.
From the corner, Fernandez finds Palmer in space, but the ‘keeper puts his corner behind.
Brentford have settled a little bit but they’re still struggling at times, especially in attack, and they just needed good work from Pinnock to prevent a dangerous cross. Once they do get forward, the flag goes up against Lewis-Potter. Cheap.
Chelsea 0-0 Brentford
Good work from Pinnock to dispossess Jackson, but the visitors lose it straight away before Fernandez comes close to finding Madueke in the box.
Wissa attempt to start the counter with a long ball forward, but Sanchez is off his line well to beat Mbeumo to it. The flag goes up anyway.