It was a hard-fought victory for Chelsea
image credit: The Athletic
Chelsea secured a 2-1 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge on December 15, 2024, narrowing the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool to just two points.
Chelsea began assertively, with Nicolas Jackson posing an early threat. In the 10th minute, Malo Gusto delivered a precise cross into the box, but Jackson’s header narrowly missed the target.
Shortly after, Moisés Caicedo’s lofted pass found Jackson, whose powerful half-volley was expertly saved by Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Brentford responded with a significant opportunity of their own. A corner kick led to Christian Nørgaard’s impressive volley, which was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Robert Sánchez.
The breakthrough came just before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Noni Madueke delivered a well-placed cross into the penalty area, where Marc Cucurella rose to head the ball into the net, marking his first Premier League goal for Chelsea and giving the Blues a 1-0 lead.
Chelsea maintained their momentum into the second half, controlling possession and creating several scoring opportunities. However, they struggled to convert these chances into goals, with Jackson missing a particularly clear opportunity that drew reactions from fans.
Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, made strategic substitutions to shift the game’s dynamics. Fábio Carvalho’s introduction added creativity to Brentford’s attack, and he nearly equalized shortly after coming on.
In the 80th minute, Chelsea doubled their lead. A turnover in midfield allowed Enzo Fernández to thread a precise through ball to Jackson, who made no mistake this time, slotting the ball past Flekken to make it 2-0.
NJ. 🇸🇳🔵#CFC | #CHEBRE pic.twitter.com/KMteOPXUEt
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 16, 2024
Brentford refused to relent and were rewarded in the 89th minute when Bryan Mbeumo found the back of the net, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and setting up a tense finale.
Post-Match Incident
After the final whistle, tensions flared. Marc Cucurella received two yellow cards in quick succession—the first for a foul on Fábio Carvalho and the second for an altercation with Brentford’s Kevin Schade—resulting in his dismissal.
This red card means Cucurella will miss Chelsea’s upcoming league match against Everton.
Implications
This victory marks Chelsea’s fifth consecutive league win, underscoring their resurgence under coach Enzo Maresca. Despite the win, Maresca tempered title expectations, citing the team’s relative inexperience compared to their rivals.
The win propels Chelsea to 35 points, just two behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and four points clear of third-placed Arsenal. Brentford, meanwhile, continue to seek their first away win of the season, having secured only one point on the road thus far.
Manager’s Reactions
Following Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Brentford, both managers shared their perspectives on the match and their teams’ performances.
Enzo Maresca (Chelsea Head Coach):
Despite the win, Maresca remained cautious about Chelsea’s title prospects, stating:
No matter how many games we win, I think we are not ready to compete for the title. One of the reasons why is because I think the teams know how to compete for titles. They are not going to concede goals like we do.
He emphasized the need for improvement, particularly in defensive aspects, to match the standards of title-contending teams.
Regarding the fans’ aspirations, Maresca acknowledged their enthusiasm but maintained his realistic outlook:
You can talk about the title and the fans can dream about the title, absolutely. If you ask me, I will tell you what I think. For me, we are not ready but we are happy the fans can dream.
Thomas Frank (Brentford Manager)
Frank praised Chelsea’s quality and considered them strong contenders for the Premier League title:
They are one of the favourites to win the title. I know they don’t want to talk about that but look at their players.
Reflecting on Brentford’s performance, Frank expressed pride in his team’s second-half efforts and felt they were unfortunate not to secure a better result:
Our second half was fantastic, and I think we were a little bit unlucky not to get something out of it.
These insights from both managers highlight the competitive nature of the match and the differing perspectives on their teams’ current standings and future prospects.
Next Fixtures
Chelsea are set to face Shamrock Rovers in the UEFA Conference League, followed by a Premier League match against Everton, where they will be without the suspended Cucurella.