Brentford might have offered the efficiency of the season to crush Chelsea 4-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and Christian Eriksen was among the many scorers to say his first West London derby win over his rival in 83 years.
Thomas Frank’s aspect sparkled within the first half however fell behind three minutes into the second when Antonio Rudiger unleashed a shocking thunderbolt from 35 yards.
Rudiger and Chelsea followers celebrated his season’s prime scorer with fanfare – and nobody anticipated what would occur subsequent.
Vitaly Janelt equalized from the sting of the penalty space simply two minutes later, unleashing a spell that saved the 2 groups drifting aside. In the course of the mayhem, Kristoffer Ajer pulled a formidable block to disclaim Kai Havertz.
Nevertheless it was the bees who had been struck once more by a lightning strike led by Brian Mbiomo, who prompted Eriksen to flex a second at shut vary.
It is one other chapter within the fairy story’s return to soccer for Eriksen, who suffered a coronary heart assault on the European Championships final summer season however returned to the worldwide stage with two objectives in two video games for Denmark final week.
As for the Brentford story, it appears to be like like they’ll proceed within the Premier League subsequent season after such a shocking win.
Janette discovered the online once more an hour later after an outstanding cross from Evan Toni and regardless of Chelsea throwing themselves ahead searching for a purpose within the again – and I feel they received a purpose when Havertz’s purpose was dominated out and may have scored when Havertz scored. One-on-one shot – Yuan Wesa took benefit of Rudiger’s poor playoff to shoot within the fourth.
“European Champions? You are laughing,” roving followers chanted, witnessing one of many biggest days of their membership’s historical past.
The worth of the win within the quick time period is big – Brentford is now 11 factors from the relegation zone – and the recollections of that victory will reside lengthy within the recollections of Bees followers.
Chelsea season ticket holders – the one followers of the Blues attributable to authorities sanctions – will need to transfer ahead shortly, with their Champions League title protection in opposition to Actual Madrid on Wednesday.
They’ve gained their final 5 league video games, and earlier than the match I felt as if Brentford’s Premier League destiny would seemingly be determined by them dealing with Watford in two weeks’ time. In spite of everything, Brentford failed to attain of their earlier two conferences with Chelsea this season.
Nonetheless, of their first league sport at Chelsea since November 1946, a sudden swap in formation to 3-5-2 left Brentford placing their hosts underneath strain from the beginning.
The duo ought to have been within the clear simply 11 minutes earlier than the clock, as Tony missed a cross from Edward Mendy’s present earlier than the striker parried a cross narrowly over the bar.
A free kick from Eriksen and Toney drive had been among the many different probabilities they created throughout a formidable opening.
Chelsea needed to wait till the twenty first minute on their first try when Mason Mount hit the ball, and though there have been subsequent efforts from Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mount and Rudiger they had been tamed because the hosts struggled to interrupt via Brentford’s system.
Chelsea’s greatest first-half second got here at 40 minutes, when Hakim Ziyech brilliantly pressured Pez goalkeeper David Raya over the crossbar, they usually began the second half on a constructive observe.
However Brentford has snatched away the bragging rights of West London in dramatic vogue, profitable for the primary time right here since 1939 – and worrisome for Chelsea, with Arsenal’s lead and a sport inside attain now of simply 5 factors, their north London neighbors might give you. them too.
Tuchel: We misplaced management for 10 minutes
Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel:We misplaced management in 10 minutes. 3-1 in 10 minutes was decisive. We had been missing in vitality right now and appeared mentally and bodily restricted after being all over the world. We thought we received the consequence [at 1-0] However we forgot that we nonetheless have 40 minutes to play.
“After so many victories and so many good outcomes, I refuse to make a drama out of it, so why ought to we. Brentford gave lots of the ten minutes we gave them. After the third purpose we had a purpose disallowed, we had the strain of the scenario in entrance of the goalkeeper, an opportunity Huge and large for Havertz, we have missed three of them and the ‘this isn’t our day’ feeling. There are a number of causes we are able to put it on us and we’ll analyze it.”
Opta stats – Historic day for Brentford
- Brentford have crushed Chelsea for the primary time in 9 encounters in all competitions, since their 3-1 win away from dwelling within the First Division in February 1939.
- Brentford’s 4-1 win over Chelsea is the newly promoted group’s greatest mixed away win in opposition to a group that began the day within the prime three within the desk (additionally Leeds 3-0 Aston Villa in October 2020).
- Brentford has scored 4 or extra objectives in a First Division derby in London for the primary time since a 5-2 win over Charlton in October 1937.
- Chelsea misplaced by three objectives or extra within the Premier League derby at Stamford Bridge for under the second time, after the 0-3 defeat to Arsenal in April 1997.
- Chelsea have conceded 4 or extra Premier League objectives at dwelling to a newly promoted group for the second time (additionally 2-5 in opposition to West Bromwich in April 2023), on each events underneath Thomas Tuchel.
- Brentford’s Christian Eriksen scored his first Premier League purpose since December 2019 (for Tottenham v Norwich), and was immediately concerned in eight objectives (three objectives and 5 assists) in opposition to Chelsea within the competitors, with all three objectives arriving at Stamford Bridge.
- Antonio Rudiger’s opening purpose (39.6 yards) was Chelsea’s longest purpose within the Premier League since Frank Lampard in opposition to Wigan in January 2007 (45.1 yards).
- Vitaly Janelt scored his first double for Brentford in all competitions, scoring many Premier League objectives right now and in addition efficiently making his 24 appearances within the competitors mixed (2).
What then?
Chelsea play Champions League matches on Tuesday as they host Actual Madrid within the first leg of the quarter-finals. At 8 p.m. the match begins. Then on Saturday, April 9, the Blues go to Southampton within the Premier League; Match begins at 3 pm.
In the meantime, Brentford host West Ham on Sunday 10 April. Match kicks off at 2 pm.