Stamford Bridge plays host to a west London derby tonight as Frank Lampard desperately searches for his first win back as interim head coach. It’s been a miserable second spell in charge for the Blues legend so far, with four successive defeats and a Champions League quarter-final exit leaving the chances of any sort of European football for next season looking very slim indeed.
Troubled Chelsea are in dire need of a lift as they sit 11th and a full 14 points adrift of the top six with only seven games left to play in this miserable first campaign under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake ownership group, who are now close to appointing former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino as Graham Potter’s long-term successor in the dugout.
Brentford currently sit one place and five points ahead of their local rivals in mid-table but a run of six matches without a win has derailed their own European ambitions under Thomas Frank. Follow Chelsea vs Brentford updates live below, with expert analysis from Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge.
Live updates
41 mins: Chelsea are trying to mount a response to that setback before the interval but yet again there is nothing at all up front as Thiago Silva instead takes it upon himself to have a decent low strike from distance that is dragged wide.
Lampard needs to make changes at half-time.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
Brentford haven’t done a lot against Chelsea tonight but somehow have the lead.
It just seems like nothing can go right for the Blues this season. They had played better than in their other league games this season, but still they are behind.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Brentford | Cesar Azpilicueta OG 38′
38 mins: It’s an unfortunate own goal to break the deadlock from Azpilicueta, who knows little about it as a flick-on from a dangerous corner deflects in off his arm.
Painfully unlucky for the Chelsea skipper, but they need to compete better from the first ball.
Brentford overload the six-yard box and get their reward. Could Chelsea have had someone on the post there?
The Bees lead despite having no shots on target so far tonight!
35 mins: Quick thinking from Fernandez, who lofts a quick free-kick into the box with Brentford caught napping.
Sterling loses Mee but thankfully for the Bees, Raya is alert to the danger and comes out to collect.
33 mins: Chelsea are finally building up a head of steam.
Kante misses the target with an ambitious effort following a corner, with the Blues then moving the ball at real pace from the goalkeeper.
Sterling cuts inside onto his left foot, bamboozling Roerslev before driving wide of the back post.
30 mins: Dogged work from Kante inside the Brentford box as he lays on a chance for midfield colleague Fernandez, whose looping strike is pushed over by Raya.
Better from Chelsea as we tick past the half-hour mark.
29 mins: Onyeka appeals strongly for a Brentford spot-kick after a shove from the left arm of Chalobah as he tried to collect a through ball into the Chelsea box.
Again, nothing doing for referee Madley or the VAR.
That was a definite push from Chalobah, but obviously the officials don’t think it was enough to send him down.
Former tennis stars Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss are guests of honour at Stamford Bridge tonight…
26 mins: Another enticing Brentford cross causes panic in Chelsea’s defensive ranks.
Another long Jensen throw is headed away before a decent back-post delivery can’t be steered on target by Mee.
Solid defending from Chalobah.
Nizaar Kinsella at Stamford Bridge
This has been a game with almost no goal-mouth action.
You can tell that Chelsea are seven games without a win and Brentford six.
