Chelsea took advantage of their rivals’ slip-ups to move two points off the top of the Premier League but made hard work of a narrow 2-1 win over Brentford.
The Blues did not make the same mistake as Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City who had all dropped points at home earlier in the weekend, but ended up hanging on to victory against a Bees side who had picked up only one away point all season.
They took a deserved lead into the break when Marc Cucurella nodded in his first Premier League goal for the Blues minutes before the interval, having dominated the opening half without creating much in the way of clear-cut chances.
Nicolas Jackson should have put the game to bed on the hour mark when he ballooned the influential Jadon Sancho’s cross over from six yards out, and without that the Blues’ narrow lead always remained precarious.
Brentford came so close to making them pay as momentum began to shift and Christian Norgaard pulled a superb finger-tip stop out of Robert Sanchez, before Fabio Carvalho’s sliding effort bounced down off the bar, no more than a few inches from crossing the line.
Enzo Maresca’s celebrations which greeted Jackson’s thunderous second after a quick counter-attack summed up the relief around Stamford Bridge with 10 minutes left as Chelsea finally gave themselves a cushion to defend.
But even then, a hospital pass of a throw from Cucurella to Moises Caicedo saw a Brentford counter finished off stylishly by Bryan Mbeumo, leaving the Blues to see out a nervy seven minutes of added time before they could finally celebrate stealing a march on their title rivals with victory.
Cucurella’s excellent evening ended on a sour note after the full-time whistle when the goalscorer was shown a second yellow card for an altercation with Kevin Schade.
Maresca: Title winners don’t concede that type of goal
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca:
“No matter how many games we win, I think we are not ready to compete for the title. One of the reasons why is I think that teams who know how to win titles won’t concede goals like we did.
“90th minute, our attacking throw-in. If you don’t believe me, or think I just say it – I would love the pressure to compete. But we are not ready for many reasons, and one of the reasons is we cannot concede the goal we conceded. It opened the game up.”
On Marc Cucurella’s red card: “The second yellow card was for bad attitude, the referee told me. When the final whistle went I was with the coaching staff celebrating, so I didn’t see anything.
“He was top together with the other 10. They were fantastic, and we are happy with Marc’s performance. At the end of the game, the game is finished, we can manage the moment in a different way. But it’s an experience for the players to learn.”
Frank: Chelsea celebrations showed we deserved a point
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:
“We were in many ways unlucky not to get anything out of the game, at least a draw. The second half was fantastic, we went more-or-less toe to toe with one of the favourites in the Premier League.
“The way we did that second half was hugely impressive. We had two big moments, with Christian Norgaard and Fabio Carvalho – and then we put one and put pressure on, they ended up taking set pieces short and running in the corner.
“The way they celebrated the second goal and the win, it meant a lot to them – we must have caused them a lot of trouble so I’m very pleased with the performance from my team.”
Analysis: Chelsea move closer to top – but title credentials look less convincing
Sky Sports’ Ron Walker at Stamford Bridge:
“Chelsea succeeded where Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City had failed by winning at home, but had they been punished by Brentford, as they might have been, it would have been just as self-inflicted.
“Robert Sanchez and Chelsea’s centre-back options have been highlighted as their Achilles heel, but it was their inability to finish Brentford off and the manner of the goal they did eventually concede – from their own attacking throw – which gives some credence to Enzo Maresca’s insistence they are not ready to challenge for the title.
“From the outside, this can look like a perfect example of a team winning without playing well – the hallmark of any good side.
“But the way Chelsea let Brentford, a side who had lost six of seven on the road, wrestle back control of the game out of nowhere and come inches away from getting something is another sign that maturity is still developing.
“The Blues have still come an awful long way under Maresca. Whereas their title rivals all have established, experienced names through the spine of the team, Chelsea are still on the way up. They are getting there, but still have a way to go.”
