Chelsea team news and predicted XI vs Brentford

All the latest from the Blues camp ahead of their midtable clash

April 25, 2023 at 2:36 pm GMT+1

Chelsea and Brentford face off with a spot in midtable up for grabs as two of the least in form sides in the Premier League scrabble for a strong end to the season.

The Blues have lost four out of four under Frank Lampard, and have nothing left to play for following their exit from the Champions League, with the club currently 11th in the Premier League and with no chance of bringing European football back to Stamford Bridge next season.

They face a Brentford side that have lost three of their last five and sit just a place above them, though five points seperate the two sides.

We took a look at the latest team news coming out of Stamford Bridge, and how Lampard could line his side up at the Community Stadium.

Predicted XI

Team News

Chelsea’s struggles are set to continue with the latest news that both Reece James and Mason Mount will be out for the remainder of the season through a hamstring and groin injury respectively.

“Reece is unavailable, probably for the season. Mason’s the same. Reece has a hamstring. Mason’s carrying a pelvic injury... He’s been trying, but will have minor surgery [&] a four-week recovery”, Lampard told the media ahead of their clash with the Bees.

As it stands, club captain Cesar Azpilicueta is the obvious replacement for James, though the veteran Spaniard has not featured since a nasty head injury against Southampton in their 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

They join a longer injury list that also includes Armando Broja, who has been out since the World Cup.

Worse still, Kai Havertz is struggling with a knee injury and will miss the trip to the Community Stadium while Kalidou Koulibaly is still sidelined with a hamstring injury that he picked up at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Edouard Mendy has returned to full fitness and could replace Kepa in goal, though the Spaniard appears to have earnt Frank Lampard’s trust in his short stint.