Chelsea vs Brentford LIVE: Premier League result as Blues cut Liverpool’s lead and extend streak
Chelsea 2-1 Brentford: Enzo Maresca’s side won for a fifth league game in a row and made the most of their rivals dropping points
Chelsea cut Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League table to just two points as goals from Marc Cucurella and Nicolas Jackson secured a west London derby victory over Brentford.
Capitalising on Liverpool’s draw at home to Fulham - as well as more dropped points for Arsenal and Manchester City - Enzo Maresca’s side won a fifth Premier League game in row to continue their excellent form.
And they did not even need Cole Palmer’s inspiration as Cucurella opened the scoring shortly before half time, meeting Noni Madueke’s cross.
Brentford had their moments - including Fabio Carvalho hitting the crossbar - and Chelsea’s win did not feel secure until late on when Jackson raced through to score his ninth Premier League goal of the season.
Bryan Mbeumo pulled one back for the visitors late on - but it could not stop Chelsea becoming the first Premier League team to win five games in a row this season.
Follow all of the latest from Stamford Bridge, plus updates from Southampton vs Tottenham, in our live blog below:
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
71 mins
Half a chance for Brentford but the flag goes up for offside.
Norgaard clips a ball over the top of the defence and Wissa just about manages to bring it down, but Sanchez saves well after racing off his line.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
69 mins
Palmer’s first-time cross falls at the feet of Madueke just a few yards out, but his shot is blocked. The hosts come again, but Colwill’s ball sails over the bar.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
66 mins
Chelsea launch a counter after the restart, but Madueke is wasteful as he hits a tame effort from distance right at Flekken.
Moments later, a dangerous Chelsea attack comes as Jackson lays it off to Palmer, who slips in a perfect through ball to Sancho. He takes it past the onrushing Flekken, but the angle is too tight for the shot and his cross is eventually dealt with.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
64 mins
Brentford get forward but Gusto does well to deal with the cross in towards Janelt (who has just come on for Damsgaard). The Frenchman then stays down, and there’s a brief break in play.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
62 mins
Flekken was down after that Jackson chance, so he’s been treated but is okay to carry on. The away side are preparing some changes.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
60 mins
WHAT A MISS! How has this not gone in?
Palmer finds Sancho on the wing and the former United man beats the defender before cutting it back from the byline. It’s beaten Flekken and it comes to Jackson, who simply has to tap into an open net, but he fires it over the bar!
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
59 mins
A decent chance for the hosts as Palmer’s clever lay-off comes to Fernandez, whose goal-bound shot is blocked before Jackson is flagged offside.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
58 mins
A rare foray forward for the visitors, and they get the men up the pitch, but Wissa’s cross is straight to Sanchez. Moments later, Mbeumo does the exact same thing from a similar position.
Chelsea 1-0 Brentford
57 mins
From the corner, Flekken just about clears the ball from his area, but Chelsea win it back immediately before Palmer is just unable to reach a ball into the box.
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