Brentford Out to Break Home Hoodoo in High-Stakes Chelsea Clash

“We believe a lot in ourselves, massively willing to beat Chelsea,” Brentford boss Thomas Frank said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash, as his side look to turn around their home form and finish the season strongly.

Brentford welcome Chelsea to the Gtech Community Stadium with the hope of ending a four-month winless run at home. Despite recent frustrations, Frank believes his side are close to turning performances into results. “We had three games against Arsenal, City and Newcastle where we should’ve got more than just one point,” he said. “Tottenham we dominated, Everton we were leading… these four or five games tipped the wrong way.”

The reverse fixture saw Chelsea edge past Brentford with a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge in December, but Frank is optimistic his players can rise to the occasion this time around. “I think it will be an even competition,” he said. “We highlight two or three areas where we think we can score.”

Chelsea, however, arrive in strong form defensively, having conceded just two goals in their last six games across all competitions. Frank acknowledged the challenge but insisted the key is clinical finishing. “If you know you have 60% of the ball and you’re the better team, patience is the key. But here, it’s more about taking your chances.”

Sunday’s match will also test Brentford’s depth, with several key players returning to fitness, including defender Rico Henry. Frank admitted it creates selection dilemmas but welcomes the competition. “That’s the worst thing as a football manager—you’ve got 25 players who want to play. I pick the team I believe can win the match.”

With just eight games left, Brentford sit in the middle of the table and hope to finish strong. “There are definitely opportunities to go a little bit higher,” Frank said. “But there’s also a few behind. So we need the energy and freshness to chase the teams above and keep the others behind.”

The pressure may be on Chelsea, who dropped points midweek and remain outside the European places. But for Brentford, the motivation is clear: get back to winning ways at home and prove they can still punch above their weight.