Enzo Maresca's Chelsea boosted their title hopes as they beat Thomas Frank's Brentford 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday evening.
Brentford thought they had done enough to keep Chelsea at bay in the first half, but left-back Marc Cucurella popped up with the game's opening goal with a flying header just before late in the half following a wonderful cross from Noni Madueke.
Nicolas Jackson ensured that the visitors left with no points when he scored his ninth goal of the Premier League season late in the second half, a vital moment considering the Bees pulled one back minutes later.
Cucurella was sent off after the full-time whistle after getting involved in a scuffle and will miss his side's match against Everton next weekend.
Chelsea's win means they stay in second place with a points tally of 34 - just two fewer than Liverpool - and though the league leaders have a game in hand, they must be considered the Reds' main challengers at this stage, even ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Brentford are 11th with 23 points and their abysmal record on the road shows no signs of ending, with the club having lost seven of their eight top-flight matches away from home.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
Some have questioned whether Chelsea are true contenders in the title race, but their 2-1 victory will have answered many critics - Maresca's side are undoubtedly in the mix.
While the Blues will have to improve defensively in order to pip Liverpool to first place, any team that is within two points of the league leaders around Christmas must be taken seriously.
Indeed, Maresca's side have kept just three clean sheets in their 16 Premier League fixtures this term, and it will be interesting to see if these defensive frailties ultimately prove costly.
Few teams can boast such strength in depth in the final third, although fans can hardly have expected Cucurella to score given his header was his first goal in the Premier League since May 2022 against Manchester United.
However, results are all that matter at this stage of the season, and Maresca deserves credit for finding new ways of winning.
As for Brentford, their strong home form means they will stay in the Premier League this season, but it must be frustrating for the club's travelling fans that the team have been so inexplicably poor on the road.
CHELSEA VS. BRENTFORD HIGHLIGHTS
43rd min: Chelsea 1-0 Brentford (Marc Cucurella)
© Imago
Cucurella darts into the box and latches onto Madueke's whipped delivery from the right touchline, rising above Brentford's defence before he flicks the ball into the bottom-left corner.
Brentford's away woes continue!
80th min: Chelsea 2-0 Brentford (Nicolas Jackson)
© Imago
Moises Caicedo wins possession on the edge of his own box and passes to Enzo Fernandez, who fires Jackson away, and the forward strikes a low shot past Mark Flekken from just inside the right of the penalty area despite Ethan Pinnock trying to jockey him away from goal.
Surely that is game over?
90th min: Chelsea 2-1 Brentford (Bryan Mbeumo)
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Kevin Schade carries the ball from deep in his own half after Brentford win the ball, and he plays Bryan Mbeumo through on goal down Chelsea's right flank before the Bees' talisman sweeps home into the bottom-left corner.
Brentford cannot come back, can they?
After full time: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) red card
What a silly moment from Marc Cucurella! The defender receives a second yellow for his involvement in a scuffle after the full-time whistle!
MAN OF THE MATCH - NONI MADUEKE
© Imago
The winger might not have scored, but Madueke's delivery for Cucurella's goal was excellent, highlighting his excellent technical ability.
Madueke's seven shots was the joint most in the match, and his 12 touches inside the penalty area was the most by any player on the pitch.
The assist was his third in the Premier League this season, and takes his tally for goals and assists to eight in the top flight, surpassing his total of seven goals and assists from the 2023-24 campaign.
CHELSEA VS. BRENTFORD MATCH STATS
Possession: Chelsea 62%-38% Brentford
Shots: Chelsea 26-9 Brentford
Shots on target: Chelsea 8-4 Brentford
Corners: Chelsea 8-5 Brentford
Fouls: Chelsea 11-7 Brentford
BEST STATS
G/A this PL season:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) December 15, 2024
8 — Noni Madueke
7 — Kai Havertz pic.twitter.com/oco2SmD6Hm
Most Goals by Players to Reach 50 Premier League Apps for Chelsea:
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) December 15, 2024
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: 34 goals in first 50 apps
Diego Costa: 31 goals
Nicolas Jackson: 23 goals
Eidur Gudjohnsen: 21 goals
Mark Stein: 21 goals
Tammy Abraham: 21 goals
Gianluca Vialli: 20 goals
Didier... pic.twitter.com/bRVtnRjz7g
WHAT NEXT?
Chelsea will next play Shamrock Rovers in the Conference League on Thursday, before taking on Everton away from home in the Premier League on December 22.
Meanwhile, Brentford take on Newcastle in the EFL Cup on Wednesday before hosting Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on December 21.
Lewis Nolan
