Marc Cucurella celebrates with Noni Madueke after putting Chelsea in front against Brentford.
Marc Cucurella celebrates with Noni Madueke after putting Chelsea in front against Brentford.
IF the boots are no use, Marc Cucurella proved he can always do damage with his head.
A week after putting his £220 footwear in the bin following an unfortunate slip in the win away to Tottenham, the full back nodded home his first league goal for Chelsea to set Enzo Maresca’s team on their way to a victory that moves them just two points behind Liverpool.
Nicolas Jackson, who had missed a glut of earlier chances, scored a second that proved decisive because of Bryan Mbeumo’s late goal.
But this was another impressive win for Maresca’s men, who now find themselves seven points clear of Manchester City in fifth place. Indeed this was the type of game that Chelsea had become accustomed to letting slip in the past two seasons.
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But Maresca’s team appear to have already developed an impenetrable self-belief even when not at their free-flowing best. No matter how Thomas Frank’s team frustrated them there was no sign of impatience in a frantic but frustrating opening 40 minutes.
They just kept plugging away until someone found a way. And when Brentford poured forward in the minutes before Jackson made it 2-0 and in the final minutes, it was also notable how the Blues stayed cool.
Until full-time at least, when Cucurella was shown a red card for a push on Kevin Schade, having been booked in added time for fouling Fabio Carvalho.
That put a mild blemish on an excellent performance during the actual game and his absence will be keenly felt against Everton next weekend.
Chelsea dominated possession and territory from the off but Brentford were compact, resolute and smart throughout.
Marc Cucurella put Chelsea in front with a header.
The Bees are experts at frustrating opponents and despite their shocking away form - it is now one point from eight games compared to 22 from 24 at home - they are very rarely pulled apart.
Still, by the time Mikkel Damsgaard had a shot that was blocked well by Levi Colwill in the 29th minute, Chelsea had racked up nine attempts. Mark Flekken made good saves to deny Nicolas Jackson, Palmer and Enzo Fernandez.
In front of him Ethan Pinnock and Sepp van den Berg got in the way of key efforts, while the visitors were seldom caught out of position.
Well, until Cucurella capitalised on the slightest misstep from Mads Roerslev. Noni Madueke shifted onto his left foot before delivering an inswinger from the right flank and the full back found a way to sneak in front of Roerslev before meeting the cross with his head. This time Flekken stood no chance.
Chelsea emerged for the second half with an extra pep in their step and Madueke had a shot from range blocked.
Cucurella was shown a red card after the final whistle
However Jackson spurned a glorious chance to make it 2-0 approaching the hour by blasting high and wide from six yards after Jadon Sancho centred to the striker, who buried his face in his hands from the embarrassment.
Brentford, predictably, committed more bodies forward from the 70th minute on and Sanchez did brilliantly to deny Christian Norgaard with his left glove.
Then the crossbar stopped Fabio Carvalho from levelling in the 77th minute and Keane Lewis-Potter had a long-distance pop.
But Jackson put the sitter behind him to drill a ferocious effort past Flekken with 10 minutes remaining having collected Fernandez’s through ball.
Mbeumo’s late breakaway, having been played in by Kevin Schade, arrived just at the start of seven additional minutes. Except, again, Chelsea maintained their composure - until the full-time whistle went, at least.
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