Chelsea XI vs Brentford: Palmer injury latest, predicted lineup, confirmed team news for Premier League today | OneFootball

England star continues to be assessed before the Blues’ fourth London derby of the season already

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dom Smith

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Chelsea will make a late call on whether Cole Palmer can face Brentford this evening.

Speaking on Friday, Maresca revealed that Palmer’s first training session was on Thursday but that he did not take part in the whole thing. Maresca added that Palmer’s availability at Brentford would hinge on how he comes through Friday afternoon’s session.

Chelsea already know they will be without a host of players, including Levi Colwill, who will miss most of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Also sidelined is Liam Delap, who suffered a hamstring injury in the win over Fulham. The striker will not require surgery but remains out for “10 to 12 weeks”.

There are also “question marks” over the availability of Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro, Andrey Santos and Estevao, Maresca said on Friday, because of their involvement in South American World Cup qualifiers at high altitude, which involved a later return to London than for European internationals.

Their chances of featuring are, however, boosted by the Brentford kick-off being at 8pm this evening.

Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile have been nursing injuries of their own — Lavia’s being a muscle problem — but both are approaching returns.

Dario Essugo recently suffered a thigh injury in training with Portugal’s Under-21s, which required surgery. The youngster now begins a period of recovery.

Maresca will consider whether to start Reece James against Brentford or rest him, given that the defender’s workload is a perennial concern and he started both of England’s World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.

Options to lead the line in Delap’s absence if Joao Pedro’s international demands mean he can’t feature are few and far between. In that scenario, Marc Guiu would start after returning early from his loan at Sunderland.

Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Estevao, Fernandez, Pedro Neto; Joao Pedro

Doubts: Palmer, Joao Pedro, Estevao, Fernandez, Santos

Injured: Colwill, Delap, Lavia, Essugo, Badiashile

Unavailable: Mudryk

Time and date: 8pm BST on Saturday September 13, 2025

TV channel: Sky Sports