Chelsea continued their impressive Premier League form with a 2-1 win over Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, December 15. The victory moves Chelsea within one point of league leaders Liverpool, who dropped two points against Fulham a day before on Saturday.
The Blues’ fifth consecutive win in the league has catapulted them into title contention, with Enzo Maresca’s side showing great spirit and determination.
Lineups
Chelsea: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Malo Gusto, Thiago Silva, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, Mykhailo Mudryk, David Datro Fofana.
Brentford: Mark Flekken, Mads Roeslev, Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee, Rico Henry, Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter, Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney.
How the Match Unfolded
Chelsea dominated possession in the first half, with 60% of the ball, but had to wait until the 43rd minute to score the opening goal. Marc Cucurella nodded in a cross from Noni Madueke to give the Blues the lead. The goal resulted from Chelsea’s clever set-piece routine, which caught Brentford’s defence off guard.
Chelsea continued to press in the second half, with Nicolas Jackson missing a gilt-edged chance to double the lead. However, Jackson made amends in the 80th minute, smashing the ball past Mark Flekken to give Chelsea a two-goal cushion. Brentford pulled one back through Bryan Mbeumo in the 90th minute, but Chelsea held on for the win.
Post-Match Analysis
Chelsea’s victory marks their fifth consecutive win in the Premier League, and they now sit just one point behind Liverpool. The Blues’ dominance in possession was evident, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances. Brentford’s late goal added some drama to the match, but Chelsea’s defence held firm.
Enzo Maresca’s side showed great spirit and determination, but the Chelsea boss acknowledged that there are still areas for improvement. “We deserved to win the game, but we struggled in the last 10 minutes,” Maresca said. “We need to work on our game management and ensure we don’t concede unnecessary goals.“
What the Coaches Said
Enzo Maresca praised his team’s spirit and determination. “The spirit of the team. First half we were in control of the game. We could have scored more goals.
“The second half except the last 10 minutes where we struggled, which is normal, we deserved to win the game.
“This is the reason why I said there are many things we can do better and why we’re not ready to concede for titles. If you see the goal we conceded it was a throw-in to us, 90 minutes. The team that are ready to compete for that use the ball in the right way.“
🗨️ "The way we competed against a very good team was very impressive"
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) December 15, 2024
Thomas Frank on tonight's defeat#CHEBRE | @pensionbee pic.twitter.com/Lams0IWmUh
Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, spoke as well. Click above to hear Frank’s assessment of the match.
Player of the Match
Marc Cucurella was instrumental in Chelsea’s win, scoring the opening goal and making the important clearances in stoppage time. However, he was sent off and will have to miss the next match against Everton. He was voted the Player of the Match
What Next
Chelsea travels to Everton next week, while Brentford hosts Tottenham. The Blues will continue their winning streak, while Brentford will aim to bounce back from their defeat. Chelsea’s next match against Everton will test their title credentials, while Brentford will seek to regain their momentum.
EPL Top Six Table
EPL Other Fixture Results
Comment, Like 👍, share this article, and Follow us on our social media handles.
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
