Chelsea Aim to Continue Strong Start Against Struggling Brentford

London rivals Brentford and Chelsea clash at the Gtech Community Stadium with contrasting early-season fortunes, as Chelsea are second with 7 points from 3 games while Brentford are 15th with 3 points.

Premier League action returns this weekend as Brentford host Chelsea at the Gtech Community Stadium in a London derby.

The match, scheduled for September 13 at 11pm, will be officiated by Stuart Attwell as both teams resume their Premier League campaigns after the international break.

This Round 4 fixture pits Keith Andrews' Brentford, who have had a mixed start to the season, against Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side who have begun the 2025/26 campaign in impressive form.

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Preview

Chelsea currently sit in second place in the Premier League with seven points from their opening three matches, demonstrating their title credentials with an impressive goal difference of +6 after scoring seven and conceding just one.

The Blues are looking to maintain pressure on the league leaders while establishing themselves as genuine contenders in Maresca's first season at the helm.

Brentford, meanwhile, find themselves in 15th position with just three points, having already conceded five goals in their three matches.

The Bees will be desperate to climb away from the lower reaches of the table with a positive result against their London rivals, as defeat could see them slip closer to the relegation zone depending on other results.

Contrasting Fortunes and Form

Brentford enters this fixture with inconsistent form, having won one, drawn one, and lost three of their last five matches across all competitions. The Bees suffered a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland on August 30, following a positive 2-0 EFL Cup victory at AFC Bournemouth on August 26. Their sole Premier League win came against Aston Villa 1-0 on August 23, but they started their campaign with a 3-1 loss at Nottingham Forest on August 17. Their pre-season concluded with a 2-2 draw against Borussia Moenchengladbach on August 8.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have been in formidable form, winning four of their last five matches with one draw. The Blues defeated Fulham 2-0 on August 30, following an emphatic 5-1 victory at West Ham United on August 22. Their only dropped points came in a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on August 17. Chelsea's pre-season ended strongly with convincing wins against AC Milan 4-1 and Bayer Leverkusen 2-0, highlighting their attacking prowess under Maresca.

The recent history between these London rivals has been closely contested, with Brentford slightly edging the head-to-head record in their last five Premier League meetings. Their most recent encounter ended in a goalless draw at the Gtech Community Stadium on April 6, 2025. Chelsea claimed a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge on December 15, 2024, with Marc Cucurella scoring in the 43rd minute and Nicolas Jackson in the 80th minute for the Blues before Bryan Mbeumo pulled one back for Brentford in the 90th minute.

The teams shared the points in a 2-2 draw at Brentford on March 2, 2024, where Nicolas Jackson and Axel Disasi scored for Chelsea, while Mads Roerslev and Yoane Wissa netted for the Bees. Notably, Brentford secured consecutive 2-0 victories at Stamford Bridge in their two previous visits, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring in both matches, demonstrating the Bees' ability to perform against their more illustrious neighbors.

Key Players to Watch

Keane Lewis-Potter has been a consistent presence for Brentford this season, starting all three Premier League matches and accumulating 254 minutes of playing time. The versatile forward has been working hard for the team but has struggled to make a significant attacking impact, registering just two shots without finding the target. His performances have been steady rather than spectacular, with his best display coming in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa where he earned his highest rating of the season.

Lewis-Potter has previous experience against Chelsea, having played the full 90 minutes in both meetings last season. He managed one shot on target in each game, though he's yet to score or assist against the Blues.

Joao Pedro has been a revelation for Chelsea in the early stages of this season, contributing two goals and two assists in his first three Premier League appearances. The Brazilian forward has been clinical in front of goal, converting two of his eight shots, with three on target. His most impressive performance came in the 5-1 victory at West Ham, where he scored once and provided two assists in a dominant display.

Pedro has shown his ability to be in the right place at the right time, taking high-quality chances as evidenced by his goal against Fulham. His movement and link-up play have been crucial to Chelsea's attacking fluidity under Maresca, making him the player Brentford's defense will need to monitor closely throughout the match.