Chelsea secured a 2–0 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge to hand new head coach Liam Rosenior his first Premier League win, although the scoreline flattered the hosts after the visitors wasted a string of clear chances.
Goals from Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer proved decisive on an afternoon when Brentford created enough opportunities to trouble Chelsea far more than the final result suggested.
Instead, poor finishing and key moments of resilience from the home side allowed the Blues to take all three points.
The match came against a tense backdrop, with Chelsea supporters staging protests against the club’s ownership and sporting structure before kick-off. However, the mood inside the stadium improved as Rosenior’s side eventually found their rhythm and ground out a much-needed win.
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Brentford started the contest brightly and almost took an early lead when a deflection off Tosin Adarabioyo sent the ball goalwards, only for Robert Sanchez to produce a superb reflex save to keep Chelsea level. The visitors continued to press, forcing Chelsea into a nervy opening spell.
Against the run of play, Chelsea struck to open the scoring. After several attacking moves broke down around the edge of the penalty area, the ball fell kindly to Joao Pedro following a deflection, and the forward responded with a powerful strike into the roof of the net.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR intervened to overturn the decision.
The opener lifted Chelsea, but Brentford remained dangerous. Mathias Jensen came agonisingly close to equalising when his volley from inside the box crashed against the woodwork.
Moments later, Chelsea missed a golden opportunity to extend their lead as Alejandro Garnacho somehow failed to convert from close range with the goal at his mercy.
Despite Brentford’s continued threat, Chelsea doubled their advantage in the second half. Cole Palmer kept his composure from the penalty spot to give the Blues a two-goal cushion and some breathing space.
Brentford continued to push forward in search of a way back into the game, but their wastefulness in front of goal proved costly. Chelsea, while far from convincing throughout, defended more solidly as the match wore on and saw out the contest without conceding.
The win gives Rosenior a positive start to life in the Chelsea dugout, while Brentford will leave west London frustrated after failing to capitalise on their promising play and numerous chances.
