Brentford 3-0 Chelsea: Player Ratings as Bees Climb to Third

Brentford climbed to third in the Premier League with an impressive 3-0 victory over Chelsea at the Brentford Community Stadium. Goals from Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and substitute Fabio Carvalho secured the three points, extending Chelsea's winless league run to three matches.

  • Score: Brentford 3-0 Chelsea
  • Venue: Brentford Community Stadium
  • Competition: Premier League
  • Goals: Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago, Fabio Carvalho
  • Standings: Brentford climb to third; Chelsea winless in three league games

Confirmed line-ups

Brentford (4-3-3)

Starting XI: Caoimhin Kelleher; Michael Kayode, Kristoffer Ajer, Jannik Schuster, Keane Lewis-Potter; Vitaly Janelt, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Mikkel Damsgaard; Kevin Schade, Igor Thiago, Jaidon Anthony

Substitutes: Mamadou Sangare, Aaron Hickey, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Dango Ouattara, Fabio Carvalho

Unused subs: Ballcombe, Henry, Wilson, Frederick

Chelsea (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Emiliano Martinez; Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Pep Chavarria; Jordan Henderson, Valentin Barco; Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers; Danny Welbeck

Substitutes: Josh Acheampong, Geovany Quenda, Estevao Willian, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli

Unused subs: Penders, Gusto, Hato, Lavia, Gittens

Selection notes

Chelsea made five changes from their previous outing. Jordan Henderson started in midfield and received some early boos before settling. Valentin Barco made his first Premier League start. Danny Welbeck made his first Premier League start for Chelsea, replacing the injured Joao Pedro. Wesley Fofana was withdrawn for Josh Acheampong in the 72nd minute, while Welbeck also came off on 72 for Geovany Quenda. Estevao Willian and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli replaced Pedro Neto and Barco on 87.

Brentford made three changes from their previous game. Yehor Yarmoliuk made his 100th appearance for the club. Jannik Schuster started in defence. Mamadou Sangare, Aaron Hickey, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Dango Ouattara and Fabio Carvalho were introduced from the bench.

Player ratings

Brentford

  • Caoimhin Kelleher: 6 — accomplished display, never required to make outstanding saves.
  • Michael Kayode: 6 — played a couple of sloppy passes and rarely ventured forward.
  • Kristoffer Ajer: 7 — sizeable presence at the back despite pressure from crosses and set-pieces.
  • Jannik Schuster: 7 — excelled in his own box but nervous in possession; overhit backpass could have led to an own goal. Set up the winner.
  • Keane Lewis-Potter: 6 — poor clearance led to a Neto chance in the 10th minute, but impressive on the counter-attack.
  • Yehor Yarmoliuk: 7 — on his 100th appearance, threatened with a powerful long-range effort in the 37th minute and created Brentford's best chance shortly after half-time.
  • Vitaly Janelt: 7 — did just enough to halt a Cole Palmer dribble early on, risking conceding a penalty; physical presence in midfield.
  • Mikkel Damsgaard: 6 — not at his usual level from set-pieces or shooting from distance until his incredible whipped corner led to the opening goal.
  • Kevin Schade: 7 — in-form forward produced several pressure-relieving dribbles and had a shot blocked in the first half. Played a part in the final two goals.
  • Igor Thiago: 7 — on a four-game goalless run before kick-off, worked hard but struggled in front of goal. Delivered a late strike to seal victory; celebration suggested a weight lifted off his shoulders, along with his shirt.
  • Jaidon Anthony: 7 — quiet first half, missed best chance early in the second half, but responded well to score the opener.
  • Mamadou Sangare (on 72, Yarmoliuk): 7 — did his combative duties well.
  • Aaron Hickey (on 72, Kayode): 6 — a steady presence.
  • El Hadji Malick Diouf (on 81, Lewis-Potter): N/A
  • Dango Ouattara (on 81, Anthony): N/A
  • Fabio Carvalho (on 87, Damsgaard): 7 — ghosted in nicely to add a goal late on in a very short spell on the pitch.

Chelsea

  • Emiliano Martinez: 6 — did not face any clear chances or difficult set-pieces in the first half. Little he could do about Brentford's opener.
  • Wesley Fofana: 6 — physical presence at the back, dealt well enough with Brentford's long balls, but taken off for Josh Acheampong in the 72nd minute.
  • Maxence Lacroix: 4 — coped well with Igor Thiago for most of the match, winning the majority of his duels, but gave the ball away for Brentford's second goal and missed a clear chance in the dying moments.
  • Levi Colwill: 6 — quiet match by his high standards after being left out of the England squad.
  • Pedro Neto: 6 — well-struck effort saved in the 10th minute; lively throughout, linking up well in attack and stretching Brentford with his pace.
  • Jordan Henderson: 7 — no signs of rust. After receiving some early boos, he settled into the game and looked a vocal leader. Also put some good corners into the box.
  • Valentin Barco: 6 — on his first Premier League start, impressed defensively and was more ambitious with his passing than Henderson.
  • Pep Chavarria: 7 — produced some dangerous crosses and was tidy in possession. Largely positive despite one piece of naive defending in the first half that led to a free-kick.
  • Cole Palmer: 7 — undoubtedly Chelsea's best player on the night, with much of their attacking play going through him. Unable to produce the decisive moment; free-kick comfortably saved. Worked hard defensively.
  • Danny Welbeck: 5 — on his first Premier League start for Chelsea, the 35-year-old created a chance for Neto but did not do enough to compensate for the absence of injured striker Joao Pedro. His 72nd minute withdrawal said a lot.
  • Morgan Rogers: 5 — had a dangerous effort blocked in the penalty area just before half-time. The club-record £117m signing could also have done more to win the header at the back post for Brentford's opener. Ended the match playing up front as a striker.
  • Josh Acheampong (on 72, Fofana): 6 — it was unclear why he came on when he did; as a young defender, didn't make much impact in these circumstances.
  • Geovany Quenda (on 72, Welbeck): 6 — impressively got on the ball often and tried to make something happen for Chelsea but without any results.
  • Estevao Willian (on 87, Neto): N/A
  • Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli (on 87, Barco): N/A

The numbers

  • 3: Goals scored by Brentford
  • 0: Goals scored by Chelsea
  • 3: Brentford's new league position
  • 3: Chelsea's winless league run
  • £117m: Club-record fee Chelsea paid for Morgan Rogers
  • 100: Yehor Yarmoliuk appearances for Brentford
  • 35: Danny Welbeck's age
  • 4: Igor Thiago's goalless run before kick-off in games

Injury and availability

Joao Pedro was absent for Chelsea through injury. His absence forced Danny Welbeck into his first Premier League start for the club. No other injuries were reported in the source.

Why Brentford's press and set-piece quality broke Chelsea

Brentford's 3-0 win was built on a disciplined defensive structure and ruthless set-piece delivery. Mikkel Damsgaard had been below his usual standard until his whipped corner led to the opening goal, and that moment changed the game. Jaidon Anthony had missed Brentford's best chance early in the second half, but he responded by scoring the opener. Igor Thiago ended a four-game goalless run with a late strike to seal victory, while substitute Fabio Carvalho ghosted in to add a third. Chelsea struggled to create clear chances despite Cole Palmer being their best player; his free-kick was comfortably saved and he had few other clear opportunities. Morgan Rogers, the club-record £117m signing, could have done more to win the header at the back post for Brentford's opener and ended the match playing up front as a striker.

Talking points

  • Maxence Lacroix's error for Brentford's second goal and his missed chance late on cost Chelsea dearly; his rating of 4 reflects a damaging performance.
  • Danny Welbeck's quiet display as a lone striker highlighted Chelsea's reliance on the injured Joao Pedro; his 72nd-minute withdrawal spoke volumes.
  • Brentford's rise to third is no fluke; their set-piece threat and counter-attacking quality, epitomised by Damsgaard and Schade, make them genuine top-four contenders.
  • Cole Palmer was Chelsea's best player but lacked a decisive moment; without more support, Chelsea's winless run could extend further.

What happens next

Brentford will look to consolidate their third-place position in their next Premier League fixture, while Chelsea must arrest a three-match winless run to stay in touch with the top four. The pressure is on Chelsea's manager to find solutions without the injured Joao Pedro.

Frequently asked questions

What was the score between Brentford and Chelsea?

Brentford beat Chelsea 3-0 at the Brentford Community Stadium.

Who scored in Brentford vs Chelsea?

Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and substitute Fabio Carvalho scored for Brentford.

Where are Brentford in the Premier League table after beating Chelsea?

Brentford climbed to third in the Premier League with the victory.

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