Brentford vs Chelsea: Match Preview
Brentford welcome West London rivals Chelsea to the Gtech on Friday evening, looking to preserve their unbeaten start to the league season, with the Blues seeking a return to winning ways after dropping points away at Arsenal and at home to Hull.
This will be the last Premier League fixture both clubs play for three weeks as the domestic season pauses for an international break.
Season So Far
Brentford
After comfortably beating Tottenham on the opening day, Keith Andrews’s side have drawn their last three league matches despite taking the lead in each fixture. Failure to convert those games into victories leaves The Bees – who go into this match with a midweek EFL Cup win against Reading behind them – a point below their opponents in 7th position.
Chelsea
Xavi Alonso’s new-look Chelsea began the season with two entertaining wins over fellow West Londoners, Fulham, and Brighton. After impressing as an attacking force and being lauded as potential title challengers, Chelsea’s defensive frailties have since been exposed, with a sense of realism having replaced early optimism at Stamford Bridge.
Team News
Brentford Team News
Keith Andrews will be without his skipper and fellow Irishman Nathan Collins for the visit of Chelsea. The Republic of Ireland captain missed Brentford’s previous league game at Bournemouth with a calf strain and won’t return before the international break. Mathias Jensen is also expected to sit out due to injury.
First team regulars Igor Thiago and Caoimhin Kelleher are expected to be in the Bees’ starting line-up after being rested for the club’s midweek EFL Cup clash at Reading.
Chelsea Team News
Despite reports earlier in the week of Reece James and Joao Pedro missing training, both players are expected to start for Chelsea. The outlook isn’t so bright for Moses Caicedo, however, with the Ecuador international still troubled by a calf issue.
New signings Marco Palestra and former Brentford player Jordan Henderson could be named in a Chelsea squad for the first time, with both players nearing a return to full fitness. England midfielder Henderson has been sidelined since breaking his arm during a fall at the 2026 World Cup.
Head-to-Head: Previous Scores
This fixture has been drawn the last four times it has been played, with Brentford having failed to beat their West London neighbours on home soil since winning promotion to the top flight in 2021/22.
Chelsea won on their first two visits to the Gtech but haven’t tasted victory in this fixture since December 2021.
September 2025: Brentford 2-2 Chelsea
April 2025: Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
March 2024: Brentford 2-2 Chelsea
October 2022: Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
October 2022: Brentford 0-0 Chelsea
December 2021: Brentford 0-2 Chelsea (EFL Cup)
October 2021: Brentford 0-1 Chelsea
Match Odds
Chelsea are favourites, priced at 2.30 by many of the top football betting sites.
The next most likely option, according to the bookies’ odds, is a Brentford victory (2.92), while a draw is the least likely of the three outcomes, best priced at 4.00.
*Note that odds are subject to change
Match Prediction
As the last few meetings have shown, picking a winner in this derby fixture is difficult.
Although the odds say otherwise, past results and recent form point to both sides cancelling each other out in an entertaining score draw.