Chelsea XI vs Brentford: Palmer benched - Starting lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest | OneFootball

Maresca opts to leave a number of key stars on the bench

Noni Madueke makes his first start since February when Chelsea travel to Brentford, as Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson drop to the bench.

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Enzo Maresca has opted to shuffle his pack as Chelsea face Brentford fewer than 72 hours after beating Spurs.

Maresca was boosted for the Spurs game by the return of Jackson who had been out for two months with a hamstring injury.

The centre-forward looked sharp before tiring and eventually being replaced midway through the second-half, but he is not risked again from the start so soon.

Elsewhere, Reece James comes back into the team having been left on the bench against Spurs despite his good form prior to and during the international break.

Romeo Lavia missed the Tottenham victory having suffered a setback in training earlier in the week, as Wesley Fofana, who is set to miss the rest of the season after Chelsea confirmed the did centre-back had hamstring surgery on Saturday.

A Chelsea statement read: “Wesley was assessed by specialists this week after the 24-year-old suffered an injury of the muscle. Following that assessment, it was concluded that an operation would be required.

“The 24-year-old will now begin his recovery and undergo rehabilitation with the club's medical staff at Cobham over the coming weeks.”

Starting XI: Sanchez; James, Tosin, Chalobah, Gusto, Caicedo, Dewsbury-Hall; Madueke, Fernandez, Sancho; Nkunku

Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella, Palmer, Neto, George, Jackson

Time and date: 2pm BST on Sunday April 6, 2025

How to watch: Not on TV in UK