Stamford Bridge plays host to an all-London affair on Sunday evening as the red-hot Chelsea take on surprise entertainers Brentford.
Chelsea are on a roll under Enzo Maresca, with their victory at Tottenham last weekend lifting them up to second in the Premier League table. The Blues are now just five points adrift of Liverpool, who drew with Fulham on Saturday to temporarily tie things up in the Games Played column.
Maresca’s side haven’t tasted defeat since 30 October, and their unbeaten run in all competitions extended to nine games on Thursday as they downed Astana 3-1 in Kazakhstan.
The hosts are hunting for their first win over their west London rivals since December 2021 on Sunday.
Brentford, despite losing Ivan Toney in the summer, have dazzled in spurts this season and have been superb on home soil. In fact, no team has picked up more home points in the Premier League than Thomas Frank’s Bees, but they’ve accumulated a mere point on their travels.
Their road woes mean they sit ninth in the table but within touching distance of the European spots.
Those who featured in Kazakhstan on Thursday are unlikely to play a role here, with Maresca poised to name a similar XI from last Sunday’s triumph at Tottenham.
Noni Madueke will come in for Pedro Neto, who’s suspended, down the right, while Malo Gusto’s inclusion should force Moises Caicedo into midfield at Romeo Lavia’s expense. Lavia was withdrawn at half-time in N17.
Reece James and Wesley Fofana are both sidelined due to hamstring injuries, while Mykhailo Mudryk is a doubt due to illness.
Chelsea lineup vs Brentford (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Colwill, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson.