Chelsea 2-0 Brentford: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Liam Rosenior wins first Premier League game as manager

New Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior made a victorious start in the Premier League, beating high-flying Brentford 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

The Bees came into this clash unbeaten in six top-flight games - triumphing in four of their last five - but it was the Blues, who were winless in five league outings, that opened the scoring.

In truth, Keith Andrews's side were the architects of their own downfall when an under-pressure Michael Kayode saw his clearance blocked by Enzo Fernandez, only to drop kindly to Joao Pedro, who went on to blast the ball beyond Caoimhin Kelleher.

The visitors came close to levelling the game through Mathias Jensen 12 minutes later, but the midfielder was only able to hit the post following a smart free kick setup.

Chelsea then missed a gilt-edged chance of their own moments before the interval, when Alejandro Garnacho squandered a fine cross from Pedro Neto, striking wide of the net from five yards out when it seemed simpler to score.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first, with Brentford edging possession and taking the majority of the shots, but Rosenior's men were clinical, and secured the points when Cole Palmer dispatched a late penalty.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Rosenior will be happy to have won his first Premier League match in charge of Chelsea, even if his team were not at their best on Saturday.

However, this victory could prove to be a bad omen, considering that Graham Potter was the only Blues manager of the eight preceding the current boss to win their first top-flight outing with the club.

More positively, this weekend's hosts had conceded the opening goal in each of their three league games prior to this clash, but they took the lead and kept a clean sheet under the new coach, ending a five-game winless run in the division.

As for Brentford, they had triumphed in five of their last six matches (drawing the other) ahead of this contest, but they were downed by errors of their own making.

The Bees will also be frustrated by the fact that they had almost three times as many shots as their opponents, knowing that a win would have taken them into the top four, displacing struggling Liverpool in the Champions League spots.

CHELSEA VS. BRENTFORD HIGHLIGHTS

26th min: Chelsea 1-0 Brentford (Joao Pedro)

Under pressure from Fernandez, Brentford's Yehor Yarmolyuk plays a risky pass back to Kayode on the edge of his own box.

The Bees right-back tries to clear the ball long, but Fernandez's block falls to Pedro, who takes a touch and rifles a powerful strike high into the net.

38th min: Mathias Jensen (Brentford) miss

Brentford find Jensen open in the box after a clever free kick, but the midfielder is unable to level, hitting the left-hand post with a scuffed shot.

44th min: Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea) big chance missed

Neto bursts down the right flank and puts a low cross into the box for Garnacho, who somehow shoots wide of a near-open goal from five yards out!

76th min: Chelsea 2-0 Brentford (Cole Palmer)

After a poor backpass from Nathan Collins, Kelleher brings down Liam Delap in the box, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

Palmer steps up and - as expected - converts the spot kick by sending the former Liverpool goalkeeper the wrong way, firing into the right-hand side of the net.

MAN OF THE MATCH - ROBERT SANCHEZ

Given that Saturday's clash was a game of few attacking moments for Chelsea, keeping a clean sheet was vitally important.

Sanchez made six saves against Brentford, preventing Igor Thiago from adding to his impressive 16-goal tally.

CHELSEA VS. BRENTFORD MATCH STATS

Possession: Chelsea 46%-54% Brentford

Shots: Chelsea 6-15 Brentford

Shots on target: Chelsea 2-5 Brentford

Corners: Chelsea 3-9 Brentford

Fouls: Chelsea 7-10 Brentford

BEST STATS

Enzo Fernández has now been directly involved in five goals in his last six games across all competitions.

Three goals, two assists. ⚽️⚽️⚽️?️?️ https://t.co/G5a5pP9ds5
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 17, 2026

WHAT NEXT?

Chelsea will welcome Pafos to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday for Rosenior's first Champions League game with the club.

Brentford are set to continue their push for European football in the Premier League next Sunday, when they host Nottingham Forest at the Gtech Community Stadium.