Chelsea marked Liam Rosenior’s Premier League debut with a 2–0 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge, claiming their first league win under the new head coach.
The scoreline, however, did not reflect how demanding the contest was early on. Brentford started on the front foot and applied sustained pressure for much of the opening 20 minutes, coming close to breaking the deadlock.
Against the run of play, Chelsea struck first through Joao Pedro, who unleashed a stunning effort from the left side of the box to give the hosts the lead.
The Blues had a golden chance to double their advantage before the break, but Alejandro Garnacho somehow failed to score from close range with the goal gaping.
Brentford again posed problems after the restart, forcing goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into several important saves to keep Chelsea in control.
Rosenior’s substitutions eventually made the difference. Liam Delap, introduced from the bench, won a penalty within a minute of coming on, and Cole Palmer calmly converted from the spot to seal the win.
The victory keeps Chelsea firmly in the top-four conversation, especially with Manchester United winning the derby earlier in the day and Liverpool dropping points at home to Burnley.
