Brentford v Chelsea: Line-ups, stats and preview

Brentford v Chelsea match preview

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Brentford will attempt to win at home to Chelsea for the first time since 1938 and revive their slim hopes of qualifying for European football in a west London derby on Sunday (14:00 BST).

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The Bees’ five-match winning away run came to an end at Newcastle on Wednesday, when Alexander Isak’s 74th-minute penalty gave the hosts a 2-1 victory.

“We are facing a very strong Chelsea team who, after a strong start to the season, had a bit of a dip,” said manager Thomas Frank.

“They had a few injuries. It’s a fully firing Chelsea team we are facing and they need a Champions League spot. I’m not trying to play games; they need the Champions League spot and they need to beat us.”

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While Frank says Brentford need a “perfect performance” to win, Enzo Maresca is wary of fatigue in a game three days after his team beat Tottenham 1-0 at home.

“It will be very tough,” predicted the Italian after his side went fourth, with fifth place likely to be enough to secure Champions League qualification.

“It’s a matter of how we manage the tiredness and recover our energy. For sure, it’s much better to prepare for the next game when you’ve won. Hopefully, we can build momentum.”

Chelsea were beaten 1-0 at Arsenal in their last match on the road on March 16, ensuring they have lost their last four Premier League away games.

Chelsea's Enzo Maresca

Brentford v Chelsea team news

Defender Wesley Fofana and midfielder Romeo Lavia are out with muscular injuries for Chelsea, with Maresca expecting Lavia to return sooner.

Influential wideman Reece James was used as a second-half substitute against Spurs. “He is one of our best players, but he was on the bench because we try to take care of him,” explained Maresca.

Mathias Jensen could make his comeback from injury for Brentford, but fellow midfielder Fabio Carvalho is likely to miss the rest of the campaign with a shoulder problem.

Full-backs Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey and forward Gustavo Nunes are close to returning after playing for Brentford B this week. Midfielder Josh Dasilva and striker Igor Thiago are progressing with longer-term recoveries.