Having completed our fifth double of the season against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday evening, we can repeat the trick on Sunday as the Blues make the short trip to Brentford for another London derby.

Thomas Frank’s side were beaten 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in December – Marc Cucurella and Nicolas Jackson on the scoresheet – and victory at the Gtech Community Stadium would ensure our first double over our neighbours since 1946/47.

Brentford have been impressive on the road for much of the campaign but were beaten by Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Wednesday. On home soil, the Bees have struggled to secure victories and are winless in their last seven.

Our triumph over Tottenham saw a fourth clean sheet recorded at Stamford Bridge in all competitions. Coincidentally, though, our last league victory on the road was the barnstorming 4-3 at the Lilywhites’ ground.

Notably, the Blues are unbeaten in this Sunday slot this season, recording three wins – including 6-2 at Wolverhampton Wanderers – and two draws. We have not lost a league fixture at Brentford since 1938.

Chelsea’s Thursday-to-Sunday schedule will continue over the coming weeks, with the first leg of our UEFA Conference League quarter-final tie with Legia Warsaw in Poland, then Ipswich Town’s league visit to the Bridge.

Team news

Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson returned to action from the start against Tottenham in midweek, and Noni Madueke made his comeback from injury as a second-half substitute in that match.

Reece James also came off the bench against Spurs as head coach Enzo Maresca continues to manage our captain's minutes. Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia were not involved and will be absent against the Bees.

‘Wes had a muscle problem a few days ago and we are waiting for more checks,’ Maresca explained ahead of Sunday’s game.

‘For Sunday, Romeo is out. If you compare Romeo’s games this season to last season, he has already improved. But the target with Romeo is just to try to keep him fit as much as we can and play more games next season than this season.

‘We are trying to do the same with Reece, it’s not the same but a similar situation. Reece is one of our best players, but he was on the bench because we try to take care of him.

‘We know that in this moment he can’t play every three days. Hopefully, soon he can, but the main target with him, Romeo and Wes is to keep them fit, because we know how important they are for us.’

The history

Chelsea’s victory over the Bees in December ended a run of five games without a league win against our west London neighbours – it was also the Bees’ seventh consecutive derby defeat on the road.

For our most recent success at the Gtech, you have to look back to October 2021, our debut at their current stadium. Ben Chilwell’s strike on the stroke of half-time meant Chelsea became the first London team ever to win seven away league derbies in succession.

Last season’s visit ended 2-2 despite the visitors bossing possession and edging the hosts on attempted shots. Jackson’s header from a Malo Gusto cross set the Blues on course to victory, but hesitant defending allowed Mads Roerslav and, more spectacularly, Yoane Wissa, to turn things the way of the Bees.

The Blues salvaged a point when Cole Palmer found Axel Disasi’s head with seven minutes to go.

Know this...

Set-pieces have contributed around 19 per cent of Chelsea’s Premier League goals this season and 18 per cent of Brentford’s.

The Bees’ opening shot of the game has found the net on nine occasions in the Premier League this season – the most by any side. Ten of Brentford’s 11 Premier League goals against Chelsea have come after half-time.

On Thursday, Ange Postecoglou became the first-ever Tottenham manager to lose each of his four opening league fixtures against Chelsea.

Enzo Fernandez is now the third Blues midfielder to have netted home and away against Tottenham in a Premier League season after Roberto Di Matteo (1996/97) and Gus Poyet (1998/99).

The pinpoint cross for the skipper’s fifth league goal of the campaign was Cole Palmer’s first assist since setting up the same team-mate against Aston Villa in December at the Bridge.

The top-flight’s first-ever west London derby was played on Saturday 23 November 1935 at Stamford Bridge, visitors Brentford taking the lead but going down 2-1 thanks to Dickie Spence’s penalty winner.

Premier League west London derbies