Chelsea claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brentford to record their fifth straight Premier League win and close the gap to two points on Liverpool at the top.
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Nicolas Jackson’s strike proved decisive in Sunday’s west London derby at Stamford Bridge, where Marc Cucurella was sent off after full-time.
It was Cucurella who put Chelsea in front in the 43rd minute, heading home at the end of a first half that the Blues had mostly dominated.
After squandering a golden chance to double Chelsea’s advantage on the hour, Jackson atoned with a neat finish 10 minutes from time.
Bryan Mbeumo dragged Brentford – who had earlier hit the crossbar – back into it in the final minute of normal time, but it was too little too late for the 11th-placed Bees, while Chelsea are now just two points behind Liverpool, who do have a match in hand.
How the match unfolded
Jackson went close twice early on, first glancing wide from Malo Gusto’s cross before stinging the palms of Mark Flekken with a rasping drive.
Flekken stood firm again to thwart Enzo Fernandez, this time stretching out a foot to keep out the Argentinian’s shot, before he denied Noni Madueke as the winger surged through on goal.
Brentford’s resistance was broken two minutes before the interval, however, as Cucurella headed home from a fine Madueke centre.
Cucurella’s header v Brentford
Cucu’s first Chelsea goal in the #PL! ?#CFC | #CHEBRE pic.twitter.com/em6RPU6FTW
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 15, 2024
Jackson skied an effort over after great work from Jadon Sancho on the hour mark, and Chelsea would have paid for that miss if not for Robert Sanchez – who kept out Christian Norgaard’s hooked volley – and the crossbar, which Fabio Carvalho struck from close range before Kevin Schade put the rebound over.
Jackson made amends when he steered beyond Flekken to grab an insurance goal Chelsea ultimately required.
Mbeumo made matters interesting as he finished coolly after bursting through – with Cucurella picking up his second booking after the final whistle was blown.
Maresca’s men the main challengers?
With Arsenal dropping points at home to Everton and Manchester City losing to Manchester United, Chelsea were the only one of the teams most likely to mount a title challenge that managed to win this weekend.
Despite head coach Enzo Maresca insisting that his side are not in the title race, a fifth straight league win, and one that came about in hard-fought fashion, will do little to temper the expectations of excitable Chelsea fans.
Chelsea dominated large parts of the match but ended up holding on for the win after wasting numerous openings to make it far more comfortable, but there were plenty of positives to take.
Wingers Sancho and Madueke were instrumental, with the latter providing the moment of quality to tee up Cucurella’s opener.
Sancho also continued his fine recent run of form, dovetailing nicely with Cole Palmer in central areas while also setting up that gilt-edged chance that Jackson wasted at 1-0.
The Blues now host Shamrock Rovers in midweek in the Conference League before taking on Everton at Goodison Park next weekend. Win there, and they may even be top of the league heading into Christmas.
Away day blues continue for the Bees
Though their home form rivals the best in the Premier League, Thomas Frank’s Brentford continue to struggle on the road and this defeat now leaves them with just one point from their eight away matches in the top flight this season.
They were distinctly second-best during the first 60 minutes of this match as they struggled to find the attacking outlets of Mbeumo or Yoane Wissa, only really going close the when Mikkel Damsgaard looked set to sweep home, but Levi Colwill denied him with a fabulous block.
Frank’s substitutions had a positive impact, though, and they offered far more of a threat going forward. Norgaard, who started, was frustrated by Sanchez, while one of the changes – Carvalho – struck the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.
Jackson’s goal just three minutes after that miss could have seen their heads drop completely, but the Bees kept buzzing, with Mbeumo’s late goal making sure that Chelsea were forced to hold on for a nervy victory.
Brentford go up against Newcastle United in the EFL Cup quarter-finals next, before they host in-form Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Club reports
Chelsea report | Brentford report
What the managers said
Enzo Maresca: “We were in control of the game except the last 10 minutes where we concede. It’s normal.
“We created chances. We could have scored more. We deserved to win the game.”
Thomas Frank: “If you look at the performance today against a top team who will go right to the end of the season and try to win the title, the way they celebrated it was clear they respected us and we could easily have got something. Maybe we could win it.”
Next PL fixtures
Key facts
From the start of May, Chelsea have scored more goals (51), won more matches (15) and earned more points (49) in the Premier League than any other side.
No side has earned fewer points away from home in the Premier League this season than Brentford (1), while only Southampton (4) and Everton (5) have scored fewer goals on the road so far than the Bees (6).
Chelsea have earned 15 points more this season (34) than they did from the same corresponding 16 fixtures last season (19), the biggest such difference of any Premier League side this term.
Cucurella’s opener was his first ever Premier League goal for Chelsea (60th app), while it was his first overall in the competition since May 2022 (for Brighton vs Manchester United).