Chelsea 2-0 Brentford: Liam Rosenior earns first Premier League win as Blues survive against wasteful Bees
Report and free match highlights as Chelsea beat Brentford 2-0 in the Premier League; Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer goals were enough to hand Liam Rosenior a first Premier League win; Brentford spurned several glorious opportunities
Saturday 17 January 2026 18:54, UK
Liam Rosenior's first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea ended victoriously as his side held on to beat Brentford 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
A vicious strike from Joao Pedro and a penalty from Cole Palmer was enough to separate the two teams, but Keith Andrews' men will be left wondering how they squandered the number of chances they created to take something from the game.
Chelsea fans had protested the club's board before the game, but the result left those in blue smiling as their new head coach made the ideal start to his Premier League tenure.
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The visitors started the better of the two sides, and would've been ahead via a Tosin Adarabioyo own goal had it not been for a remarkable save from Robert Sanchez to keep the ball out.
Just minutes later came the first Premier League goal of Rosenior's reign. After multiple moves breaking down on the edge of the Brentford box, Chelsea finally found some luck as the ball deflected into the path of Joao Pedro, who smashed his effort into the roof of the net.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside, only for VAR to overturn the decision, with Chelsea beginning to succumb to Brentford pressure.
The goal opened up the game, with both sides spurning glorious opportunities after. Mathias Jensen watched his volley from inside the area bounce off the woodwork, while Alejandro Garnacho somehow missed with the goal gaping from within the six-yard box soon after.
Sanchez continued to silence his critics as he kept out Kevin Schade with a brilliant save with his feet early in the second half, before Igor Thiago watched his header whistle agonisingly wide.
Brentford were made to rue their missed chances as Nathan Collins left Caoimhin Kelleher in trouble with an awful back pass, which saw Liam Delap nip in after a poor touch from the goalkeeper to win a penalty, which was coolly tucked away by the returning Palmer.
The result means that Chelsea leapfrog Brentford in the Premier League table, moving up to sixth as the Bees drop down to seventh.
Rosenior: Illness meant Chelsea weren't at their free-flowing best
Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior speaking post-match:
"We didn't play the free-flowing football that I want us to in the end, but we got the job done and that's a really, really pleasing result for the players.
"There were a couple of players playing today who were complaining about their chests and they've put in a magnificent effort. I felt that's why we weren't good with the ball.
"Honestly, I'm just working day-to-day. For example, the night of the Arsenal game, Liam [Delap] was ill. Late yesterday we found out Estevao had a temperature and a fever.
"We just have to be really adaptable and adjust the way that we work."
Andrews: Sometimes football isn't fair
Brentford boss Keith Andrews speaking post-match:
"Sometimes the game isn't fair, but ultimately you've got to take the chances you create and control certain elements of the game a bit better.
"Overall, though, when you look at the performance level today, it was very high."
On the differences between the valuation of the squads:
"I don't think spending money automatically means you get better players - I really don't.
"As a new head coach, sometimes you come in thinking about what you can buy rather than what you already have in the building. I'm really happy with the players we've got.
"[Igor] Thiago was signed for around £30m 18 months ago. There are players in this league who've cost significantly more and haven't performed as well. I don't think there's a direct correlation."
Rosenior gets the result but work to be done
Sky Sports' Callum Bishop:
As far as Liam Rosenior will be concerned, it's a job done. First Premier League game in the books, three points on the board against spirited opposition, but much work to be done.
Chelsea had moments where you could see intensity, especially when Enzo Fernandez got his head up and Alejandro Garnacho got himself one-on-one with defenders, but aside from that, it was a far from a vintage display.
The fact Brentford will be sat there scratching their heads wondering as to how they came away with nothing paints the picture. Chelsea were vulnerable, and on a different day, the scoreline likely would've reflected that.
Rosenior will know that. His analysts will tell him that. His fans could even tell him that. But, at such an early stage, victories are what matters most.
So long as Chelsea build on this, then this can be seen as the stepping stone. However, it is vital that over time, they do put in more complete performances if they want to appease the unrest that surrounds Stamford Bridge at this very moment.
