Chelsea v Brentford predictions and odds: Goals set to be in short supply

Where to watch Chelsea v Brentford

BT Sport 3, 7.45pm Wednesday

Best bet

Under 2.5 goals
1pt 10-11 bet365

Chelsea v Brentford odds

Chelsea 7-10
Brentford 15-4
Draw 3-1

Odds correct at time of publishing

Chelsea v Brentford team news

Chelsea
Reece James could miss the rest of the season and joins Armando Broja and Kalidou Koulibaly on the sidelines. Mason Mount and Kai Havertz have also been ruled out.

Brentford
Kristoffer Ajer is back in training but this game may come too soon while Pontus Jansson and Keane Lewis-Potter are out for the rest of the season. Christian Norgaard will be assessed after being taken off at half-time in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

Chelsea v Brentford predictions

Frank Lampard’s wait for the first win of his second spell as Chelsea manager lingers on and the Blues make little appeal at odds-on at home to London rivals Brentford on Wednesday.

The Blues were understandably outclassed in both legs of their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid, but Lampard’s tenure as caretaker boss has also featured league losses to Wolves and Brighton.

A distinct lack of firepower remains a pressing issue for Chelsea, whose tally of 30 goals in 31 league games is higher than only Wolves and the current bottom three.

Opponents Brentford are also enduring a dip in form - they are without a win in six - so this mid-table clash at Stamford Bridge could be a slow-burner.

Fourteen of Chelsea's last 17 matches have featured no more than two goals and the Blues have netted only once in their last six starts in all competitions.

And the low-scoring trend may continue against the Bees, who have won at Manchester City and drawn at Arsenal this season but also been involved in some tight games on the road recently with seven of their last eight away games rewarding backers of under 2.5 goals.

Key stat

Under 2.5 goals has landed in 14 of Chelsea's last 17 matches.

Probable teams

Chelsea (3-4-3): Kepa; Fofana, Silva, Badiashile; Loftus-Cheek, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell; Mudryk, Felix, Sterling.

Brentford (4-3-3): Raya; Hickey, Pinnock, Mee, Henry; Jensen, Onyeka, Janelt; Mbeumo, Toney, Schade.

Inside info

Chelsea

Penalty taker Raheem Sterling/Joao Felix
Assist ace Raheem Sterling
Set-piece aerial threat Benoit Badiashile
Card magnet Mateo Kovacic

Brentford

Penalty taker Ivan Toney
Assist ace Bryan Mbeumo
Set-piece aerial threat Ben Mee
Card magnet Ivan Toney

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