On Saturday, Chelsea will make the short trip across the capital to take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Battling against relegation, the Bees find themselves five points outside the drop zone and 10 points behind the Blues, although Chelsea have a game in hand.
This preview dives into all the key stats and trends ahead of Saturday’s showdown. So, keep reading to discover what Forebet’s algorithm predicts.
Into double figures for the season! 🇸🇳🙌 #CFC | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/uLvSjuki4H— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 29, 2024
Into double figures for the season! 🇸🇳🙌 #CFC | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/uLvSjuki4H
Let’s start by looking at the hosts, Brentford, who suffered a 4-2 thrashing at the hands of West Ham United last time out.
Thomas Frank’s men have now lost each of their previous three Premier League encounters, conceding nine goals while scoring three in reply.
To make matters worse for the Bees, they have lost five of their last six league games, with 12 defeats coming in their previous 15 outings.
Brentford have also lost six of their last 10 home matches in the Premier League, conceding over 1.5 goals on seven occasions during that period.
On Wednesday, Chelsea booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory over Championship side Leeds United.
Following the disappointment of losing the EFL Cup final to Liverpool on Sunday, it was vital that Mauricio Pochettino’s men responded in midweek.
The Blues have been wildly inconsistent this season, although they have won four of their last seven Premier League games, scoring nine goals across those victories.
That said, Chelsea have lost five of their previous eight away outings in the league, conceding 14 goals across those defeats.
Head-to-head: In October, Brentford claimed a 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, meaning they have won three of the last four meetings between the teams.
It is also worth noting that Frank’s side have kept a clean sheet in each of their previous three matches against the Blues, scoring four goals in the process.
Team news: Brentford’s injury list features Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Kevin Schade, Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbeumo.
Chelsea are also missing several key players due to injury, with Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile on the sidelines.
Saturday’s clash looks destined to be a high-scoring affair between two sides in need of points, so we should see plenty of action at both ends.
Forebet predicts that Brentford and Chelsea will combine for over 3.5 goals this weekend, with the visitors expected to outscore the hosts.