Game Week 31 Predictions: Chelsea to beat Brentford

Brentford host Chelsea, aiming to revive home form. Bees' Mbeumo and Wissa face Blues' Palmer and co. Chelsea eye UCL spots but face injury woes.

Brentford can rattle Chelsea on Sunday but, the Blues must step up to keep their place in the top four. (Photo credit: GOAL)

 Brentford vs Chelsea

G-Tech Community Stadium

2:00pm

Brentford has lost the fear factor at home; they had the best home record going into the year,, but they can’t say the same anymore, and if they want to rediscover their form, a game like this is enough motivation.

The Bees need a win to get close to the top ten,, which is their desire this season; they have huffed and puffed recently, and their big hitters – Bryan Mbeumo and Yoan Wissa – have both struggled up up front, but they have the habit of spreading goals all over the pitch.

Chelsea’s focus is divided. The Blues want to finish in Champions League places, and with fifth confirmed to be enough to earn them that, a win here would keep them in a good place, but they also have it all to do in the Europa League. While they’re firm favourites, they can’t take things for granted.

A compact performance against Tottenham in midweek has galvanised the engines for Enzo Maresca, but they haven’t been impressive all round; they need to win here to keep things moving ahead of their midweek clash in the Conference League.

The Bees have enjoyed top results against Chelsea in the past, with Mbuemo typically at the heart of it; they can rattle Chelsea in front of the G-Tech Stadium fans, but they must take their chances; they must take the game to the Blues fearlessly.

Cole Palmer hasn’t been the same this year; the England playmaker needs to step up for Chelsea, as he’s the leading light. The return to fitness of Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson also helps; however, results must tell the full story too.

As always, there are quite a number of players on the injury list for the Bees; Gustavo Nunes, Fabio Carvalho and Josh Da Silva are all ruled out of this one, with Rico Henry back in the treatment room too after recovering from a long-term knee problem.

Wesley Fofana is a major doubt for this one; he injured his hamstring in training and could miss this game alongside Romeo Lavia, who only recently returned from injury too but is sidelined again. Marc Guiu will also sit this one out.

Enzo Fernandes and Moises Caicedo will be immense; they are the key to the Chelsea midfield, while the physicality of the Brentford side means they must be on top of it. Watch out for Kevin Schade and his running. It is Chelsea’s to lose, though.

Verdict: Chelsea to win.