The last time these two teams met, Brentford clinched a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge. Despite Brentford's recent struggles, their manager Thomas Frank seems to have the full backing of the club's board as they aim to improve their performance.
Brentford's optimism took a hit when they were defeated 4-2 by West Ham United in their recent match, extending their losing streak to three games. Currently sitting in 16th place, Brentford is facing the threat of relegation, with tough games against bottom-ranked teams still to come.
Before their clash with Burnley later in March, Brentford has to tackle Chelsea and Arsenal in consecutive London derbies. Although they've struggled at home lately, Brentford will be looking to repeat their earlier victory over Chelsea this season.
Chelsea, fresh off a nerve-wracking EFL Cup final loss to Liverpool, managed to secure a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals by defeating Leeds United 3-2. Despite their inconsistent performance this season, Chelsea sits in 11th place in the Premier League, aiming to climb back into the top half of the table.
Their recent away form has been decent, with draws against Manchester City, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa. However, their record against Brentford is less than stellar, having won only one of their five previous Premier League encounters.
So, Saturday's match promises to be an intense battle as both teams strive for crucial points in the league standings.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Brentford continues to grapple with several key players on the sidelines due to injuries, including Bryan Mbeumo, Ethan Pinnock, Kevin Schade, Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, and Josh Dasilva, all of whom are still in the recovery phase.The recent addition to the injury list is Ben Mee, who will miss the remainder of the season due to an ankle fracture sustained in the match against West Ham. Nathan Collins is expected to step in to bolster the defense alongside Kristoffer Ajer and Mathias Jorgensen.
Manager Thomas Frank is likely to stick with a familiar lineup, though there may be a return for Mads Roerslev in the right wing-back position, possibly displacing Keane Lewis-Potter. Up front, the choice between Yoane Wissa and Neal Maupay alongside Ivan Toney remains to be seen.
As for Chelsea, they are still dealing with a list of absentees due to various injuries, including Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu, Romeo Lavia, Benoit Badiashile, and Carney Chukwuemeka. However, there's a chance Thiago Silva and Marc Cucurella could make their return to the squad.
Despite concerns about fitness, Conor Gallagher, Ben Chilwell, and Cole Palmer are expected to feature from the start after coming on as substitutes in the previous game. Their inclusion may see adjustments in the attacking lineup, with potential changes involving Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, and Raheem Sterling, with one of them likely to slot into the left flank position as Nicolas Jackson continues to lead the attack.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Brentford possible starting lineup:Flekken; Jorgensen, Ajer, Collins; Roerslev, Janelt, Jensen, Norgaard, Reguilon; Wissa, Toney
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell; Fernandez, Caicedo; Palmer, Gallagher, Mudryk; Jackson
EXPERT PREDICTION
Brentford 1-2 Chelsea
For both teams, this match is crucial if they want to achieve their season goals. However, given the circumstances, it wouldn't be surprising if the game ends in a draw, making for another closely contested encounter in West London.
