Chelsea FC travel to face Brentford on Friday night aiming to return to winning ways in the Premier League. The Blues are sixth in the table with seven points from four matches, five points behind leaders Arsenal.
Their last outing was a 2-2 home draw with Hull City on 12 September. Morgan Rogers gave Chelsea an early lead before Hull's Mohamed Belloumi scored twice, with João Pedro netting a second-half equaliser. That result followed a 6-3 victory over Leeds United, a game in which Cole Palmer scored twice and provided an assist.
Recent form
Chelsea's recent form shows three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five league games. They have scored 10 goals this season but conceded nine, leaving them with a goal difference of plus one. Their next fixture is this key away trip to Brentford, who sit seventh in the standings.
Team news and absentees
The squad will be without several key players for the match at the Brentford Community Stadium. Forward Emmanuel Emegha, midfielder Moisés Caicedo and striker João Pedro are all currently sidelined. João Pedro's absence is a particular blow as he is the team's top scorer this season with three goals in four appearances. The latest injury updates are always available on our injuries page.
Brentford have their own injury concerns, with five players ruled out including defender Nathan Collins and midfielder Josh Dasilva. Their most recent starting lineup featured Ethan Balcombe in goal and forwards Fábio Carvalho and Callum Wilson in attack.
Chelsea's last starting eleven, used against Hull City, saw Emiliano Martínez in goal behind a back four of Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Jorrel Hato and Pedro Neto. The midfield trio consisted of Reece James, Roméo Lavia and Malo Gusto, supporting an attacking line of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and João Pedro.
The match kicks off at 19:00 UTC on 18 September. A win would help Chelsea close the gap to the top four and build momentum ahead of their next league assignment.
