Brentford vs Chelsea Preview: Team News & Prediction
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We have a couple of London derbies this weekend and one of them comes at the Gtech Community Stadium as Brentford face Chelsea in a west London derby clash.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – USA Network
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Fubo
Brentford preview: Bees need to buzz at home
Over the summer, Brentford lost manager Thomas Frank to Tottenham Hotspur as well as key first-teamers Mark Flekken, Christian Norgaard, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, with former set-piece coach Keith Andrews given his first managerial role.
Andrews has overseen two defeats on the road, with a 3-1 loss to a Nottingham Forest side that have since sacked their manager and a gutting 2-1 defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland, sandwiching a 1-0 victory over still goalless Aston Villa at home.
Chelsea preview: World champions kicking on
Having backed up their UEFA Europa Conference League triumph by winning the FIFA Club World Cup in the summer, Chelsea headed into this campaign without much of a pre-season, and that perhaps showed with an opening day draw against Crystal Palace.
They have, though, since begun to ease into their work with a 5-1 demolition of a hapless West Ham United at the London Stadium being backed up by a comfortable, albeit controversial, 2-0 victory over west London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Brentford team news
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Janelt, Yarmolyuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago
Unavailable: Nunes (Fitness)
Questionable: Konak (Injured), Janelt (Fitness), Maghoma (Fitness)
Chelsea team news
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Estevao, Gittens; Joao Pedro
Unavailable: Badiashile (Injured), Colwill (Injured), Lavia (Injured), Essugo (Injured), Mudryk (Disciplinary), Delap (Injured)
Questionable: Santos (Rested), Palmer (Injured), Garnacho (Fitness), Estevao (Rested), Joao Pedro (Rested)
Brentford vs Chelsea prediction
Enzo Maresca’s style of football can often be overly deliberate to the point of being tedious, but his controlled passing game has begun to take over Chelsea, and they are often simply the dominant team in games. They face a Brentford side that will once again seek to be reactive and counter-attack, but lack the quality of Mbeumo and Wissa in transition, and a Chelsea victory seems like a straightforward enough outcome for this one.
Brentford vs Chelsea tip: Chelsea to win
