Brentford delivered a statement win in the west London derby, overpowering Chelsea with a dominant second half display that stretched their unbeaten run and lifted them to third in the table.
The deadlock broke in the 61st minute when Jaidon Anthony rose unchallenged to nod home from close range, following a corner that had been flicked back into danger by Jannik Schuster. Chelsea threw men forward in search of a leveller but found themselves exposed on the break. Kevin Schade raced through on goal, and although his effort lacked venom and was blocked by keeper Emiliano Martinez, Igor Thiago pounced on the loose ball to slot into an unguarded net, finally ending his scoring drought this campaign.
Substitute Fabio Carvalho sealed the rout deep into added time, converting from a deflected delivery by Schade to complete a comfortable evening for the hosts.
For Chelsea, the setback extends a miserable run of three matches without victory, two of which ended in defeat, and marks their first blank scoresheet under manager Xabi Alonso. Despite controlling large spells of possession, particularly through Cole Palmer, the visitors lacked a cutting edge in the final third, missing the injured Joao Pedro badly. Their newly reinforced midfield pairing of Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco initially steadied things but could not prevent the collapse once Brentford found their rhythm.
Boss Keith Andrews praised his squad’s resilience and adaptability, crediting their willingness to fight through tough stretches. He also singled out young defender Schuster, whose composed display and assist underlined why he has been such a shrewd addition to the backline.
With the international break now looming, Brentford will return to action in October full of confidence, sitting behind only Arsenal and Manchester City.
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