Rosenior Secures First Premier League Win as Chelsea Beat Brentford 2-0

Chelsea 2-0 Brentford: Rosenior Delivers First League Win at the Bridge

Liam Rosenior earned his first Premier League victory as Chelsea head coach with a gritty 2-0 win over west London rivals Brentford at Stamford Bridge.

Goals from Joao Pedro and a late Cole Palmer penalty sealed a much-needed three points for the Blues, who had just one win in their previous nine matches before Saturday.

While Chelsea lacked attacking fluidity, Rosenior will be relieved to claim a clean sheet and all three points in front of a fanbase showing signs of frustration. Brentford, meanwhile, will feel hard done by after outshooting and outpassing their hosts.

Pedro Strike, Palmer Penalty Settle Nervy Derby

Chelsea opened the scoring in the 26th minute after Enzo Fernandez forced a defensive error and Joao Pedro pounced to lash a powerful strike past Brentford’s Caoimhin Kelleher.

Despite chances for Kevin Schade, Mikkel Damsgaard, and Mathias Jensen, who struck the post, Brentford couldn’t convert their dominance into goals.

The game turned late on when Liam Delap intercepted a poor pass and was brought down by Kelleher. Cole Palmer calmly converted the penalty, sealing the victory.

Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez made a key one-on-one save to deny Schade early in the second half, preserving the lead and boosting confidence after weeks of defensive questions.

Rosenior’s Substitutes Prove Pivotal

‘You need to win when not at your best’ – James

Rosenior, who took full charge after Enzo Maresca’s departure earlier this month, made influential substitutions, bringing on Andrey Santos for stability and Delap, whose pressing led to the decisive penalty.

The coach admitted post-match that illness had disrupted the squad, with Estevao Willian missing out and several players playing through chest complaints.

“We didn’t play the free-flowing football that I want, but we got the job done,” Rosenior said. “This was a really, really pleasing result for the players and myself.”

Chelsea Win Comes Amid Fan Discontent

Before kick-off, around 100-200 fans protested outside Stamford Bridge, voicing frustration at club direction under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. While Rosenior hasn’t faced personal criticism, he inherited a tense atmosphere following Maresca’s exit.

“There were a few players out there who weren’t 100%,” Rosenior added. “But I’m proud of how they pushed through.”

With the victory, Chelsea leapfrog Brentford into sixth, keeping their Champions League qualification hopes alive.

Brentford Fall Short But Impress Again

Despite the result, Brentford can take positives from their performance, dominating large stretches and creating the better chances.

The result, however, means they’ve now lost eight of their 11 away games this season — a stat that could limit their push for European football.

Manager Andrew Andrews said:

“Sometimes football isn’t fair. We controlled much of the game but didn’t take our chances. Our performance level was very high.”

Still sitting in the European mix, Brentford will know they need to improve their away efficiency to maintain momentum.

What’s Next?

• Chelsea host Pafos FC in the Champions League on Wednesday (20:00 GMT) before facing Crystal Palace away on Sunday.

• Brentford will welcome Nottingham Forest next Sunday (14:00 GMT), looking to bounce back and maintain their top-six aspirations.