Liam Rosenior’s first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea ended in victory as his side held on to beat Brentford 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Joao Pedro’s brutal strike and Cole Palmer’s penalty were enough to separate the two teams, but Keith Andrews’ men will be left wondering how they squandered the chances they created to take something from the game.
Chelsea fans protested the club’s board before the game, but the result left those in green smiling as their new manager gets his tenure in the Premier League off to a flying start.
The visitors started the better of the two teams, and would have taken the lead through Tosin Adarabioyo’s goal had it not been for a superb save from Robert Sanchez to keep the ball out.
A few minutes later came the first Premier League goal of Rosenior’s reign. After several collapses on the edge of the Brentford box, Chelsea finally got lucky as the ball deflected into the path of Joao Pedro, who smashed his effort into the roof of the net.
The goal was initially ruled to be offside, only for VAR to change the decision, as Chelsea began to succumb to Brentford’s pressure.
The goal opened the game, with both sides throwing away good chances at the back. Mathias Jensen watched his volley from inside the area bounce, and Alejandro Garnacho narrowly missed the goal inside the six-yard box soon after.
Alejandro Garnacho missed a good chance to double Chelsea’s lead
Sanchez continued to silence his critics as he dispatched Kevin Schade with a brilliant foot ball early in the second half, before Igor Thiago watched his header cry loudly.
Brentford were made to laugh at their missed chances as Nathan Collins left Caoimhin Kelleher in trouble with a poor back pass, which saw Liam Delap step in after a foul on the keeper to win the penalty, saved by the returning Palmer.
Cole Palmer celebrates his goal with his teammates after scoring Chelsea’s second
The result means Chelsea leapfrog Brentford in the Premier League table, rising to sixth as the Bees drop to seventh.
More to follow.
