Premier League | Gameweek 16

Dec 15, 2024 at 7pm UK

Stamford Bridge

Chelseavs.Brentford

Match preview

Many will see this as a guaranteed goalscorer, with both sides currently at the top of the scoring charts, but that could be a little misleading.

Chelsea have scored just 12 of their 35 Premier League goals at Stamford Bridge this season, while only Southampton have scored fewer away from home than Brentford's five.

Enzo Maresca's side start the weekend in second place, but their home form has been largely mediocre, with just three wins from seven.

However, their last outing at the Bridge ended in success, with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa helping them to a four-match winning streak in the Premier League, the longest of any team in the top flight this season.

The Blues have also scored three or more goals in their last three victories, thanks to the superb form of Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, and have the chance to make it four in a row for just the second time in their history, having achieved the feat in their title-winning campaign of 1954-55.

However, last weekend's 4-3 win at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur highlighted their defensive shortcomings, and a team as porous as Chelsea is rarely in contention for the title come May.

However, the win moved them into second place after Arsenal dropped points at Fulham, and Maresca's men closed the gap on leaders Liverpool to four points after Arne Slot's men had their game with Everton postponed.

A youthful Chelsea squad travelled to Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday and won 3-1 to book their place in the last 16 of the Conference League, meaning Maresca can rotate heavily again next week against Shamrock Rovers.

That means the Chelsea boss will have a fresh XI to choose from, even if he is a little tired after a 16-hour flight to and from Almaty, as he looks to end a bizarre run of form against Brentford.

Chelsea won at the Gtech in Brentford's first season in the Premier League in 2021-22, but have failed to win any of the subsequent five meetings, losing all three at Stamford Bridge.