Brentford v Chelsea: Prediction, team news, lineups and odds | OneFootball

The early narrative under new boss Xabi Alonso is that Chelsea have turned into the Premier League’s great entertainers.

Add in cup games and the Blues have thumped in 18 goals in six matches. The less good news is that they’ve conceded 12 times in the process and playing to that average of shipping two per game has meant just a single point from their last two Premier League matches – a 2-1 loss at Arsenal and a 2-2 home draw with Hull.

Seventh-placed Brentford are one point and one spot behind their London rivals after a solid start. They opened with an impressive 3-0 win over Spurs but have since played out draws with Leeds, Sunderland and Bournemouth.

Brentford v Chelsea kick-off time

Brentford v Chelsea kicks off at 8pm BST on Friday, September 18 at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Brentford v Chelsea how to watch

The game will be shown live in the UK via Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage starting from 7pm.

TalkSPORT will provide full match commentary.

Brentford team news

The Bees will have to juggle their pack with Nathan Collins, Josh Dasilva, Antoni Milambo, Sepp van den Berg and Kafe Furo all ruled out.

The hosts will hope Mathias Jensen passes a late fitness test, although he is unlikely to be involved.

Chelsea team news

Moises Caicedo remains a doubt in the Chelsea engine room due to a calf problem.

The midfielder will be assessed nearer kick-off, while Jordan Henderson, Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha are all battling to be fit.

Joao Pedro and Reece James both sat out training on Tuesday. The latter is expected to be fit, but Pedro has withdrawn from the Brazil squad with an injury.

Danny Welbeck could now make his first Premier League start of the season after scoring three goals in two Carabao Cup appearances.

Brentford v Chelsea odds

Chelsea are 6/5 favourites to get back to winning ways after following their opening three Premier League victories with a defeat and a draw.

Brentford are 9/5 to bank three points while it’s 13/5 that they play out their fourth straight top-flight draw.

Chelsea are 14/1 third favourites to win the title, some way behind 4/6 Arsenal and 9/4 Man City.

Brentford v Chelsea prediction

If Chelsea are the great entertainers, Brentford are the Premier League’s draw kings.

Keith Andrews’ side are hard to beat but they’ve played out draws in 10 of their last 14 top-flight games when going back to last season.

Even the head-to-heads lead us down that path too.

The last four meetings between the pair at the Gtech have ended all square – a pair of goalless draws and a pair of 2-2s.

The ‘Desmond’ looks far more likely on Friday night given Chelsea’s current form and that scoreline pays 11/1.

Cole Palmer scored home and away against the Bees last season and has four in six in all competitions this term.

Back him at 2/1 to find the net.

Palmer to score in a draw also appeals at 9/1.