Liam Rosenior enjoyed a dream Premier League debut in the Chelsea dugout as the Blues returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Brentford.
A Joao Pedro strike and Cole Palmer penalty gave Chelsea a first league victory in 2026, ending a five-game winless streak in the competition.
Joao Pedro broke the deadlock in the 26th minute, rifling into the top corner after a deflected clearance, before Palmer sealed the points from the penalty spot in the second half.
Brentford threatened on several occasions, with Kevin Schade coming closest early after the restart, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Robert Sanchez.
The win lifts Chelsea up to sixth in the table, two points adrift of the top four, while Brentford drop to seventh, trailing their west London rivals by just one point.
How the match unfolded
After a measured start, Chelsea took the lead when Enzo Fernandez blocked Michael Kayode’s clearance, with the ball falling kindly for Joao Pedro to blast into the roof of the net. The goal was initially disallowed for offside but was awarded following a VAR review.
Watch: Joao Pedro opening the scoring
JP’s opener! 💥#CFC | #CHEBRE pic.twitter.com/hq9HCgwdC3
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 17, 2026
Brentford’s best chance of the half followed through an inventive set-piece routine, as an unmarked Mathias Jensen was teed up for a miscued volley that struck the left-hand upright.
The Blues came close to doubling their lead minutes before the break when Pedro Neto slid a teasing low cross into the area for Alejandro Garnacho, only for the forward to fire wide from close range.
The Bees spurned a golden chance to draw level five minutes into the second half when Schade failed to beat Sanchez from close range after going one-on-one, with his low effort denied by the Spaniard’s outstretched boot.
Liam Delap then made an immediate impact seconds after coming on as he was felled inside the box by Caoimhin Kelleher, with Palmer making no mistake from the spot, coolly sliding into the bottom right corner in the 76th minute.
Rosenior's dream Premier League debut
Rosenior has made a respectable start to his tenure in charge of Chelsea, overseeing a 5-1 FA Cup victory over Charlton Athletic before suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final.
The Premier League, however, poses a sterner test as he saw first-hand last week while watching from the stands as Chelsea slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Fulham. This time, though, Rosenior had reason to celebrate.
While the early signs under Rosenior have largely been encouraging, familiar defensive lapses and concentration issues remain evident, as Brentford exposed through close chances from Schade and Jensen in the first half.
Chelsea began to feel the effects of Brentford’s intense press after the break, struggling to play out from the back, and will consider themselves fortunate not to have conceded an equaliser through Schade.
The hosts were then handed a decisive reprieve 14 minutes from time when Delap was brought down inside the box, allowing Palmer to seal the points from the penalty spot.
Rosenior will now turn his attention to another first as Chelsea prepare for Champions League action against Pafos, before returning to Premier League action with another London derby against Crystal Palace.
Encouragement for Bees despite defeat
Brentford would have arrived at Saturday’s London derby feeling confident after putting together a six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League (four wins, two draws).
Keith Andrews’ side have been a surprise package this season, and despite losing key figures that made them so successful last term, a push for European football is still certainly on the horizon, despite a setback at Stamford Bridge.
The Bees, though, will rue conceding first, having spurned a golden opportunity just five minutes prior to Joao Pedro’s opener. Schade peeled away from Trevoh Chalobah but opted to square for Mikkel Damsgaard instead of shooting himself, allowing Chelsea to escape and soon take the lead.
Brentford continued to pose questions after the break, frustrating the home crowd as they pinned Chelsea back in their own half in search of an equaliser.
And they very nearly found one as Jensen’s corner was first cleared and then swung back into the box for Igor Thiago, whose header drifted agonisingly wide of the far post.
Ultimately, it wasn’t to be for the Bees, as their impressive run came to an end. Even so, Andrews will take encouragement from the performance and expect his side to respond quickly ahead of their upcoming clash with a struggling Nottingham Forest.
Club reports
Chelsea report | Brentford report
What the managers said
Liam Rosenior: "Happy. A lot more work to do but to win against a very good side, I was delighted with the attitude.
"I want to find a way that we're very good with the ball. We got our clean sheet and defended against a consistently good team.
"That's what I love and what I demand. I know I've got a talented group, I've been telling them all week. You have to find a way to win and the lads certainly did that this afternoon.
"Great reaction to losing the ball. We don't have the training time to work on patterns all the time.
"My job is to stay calm and make the right substitutions. My job is to help my players win games.
"I love being here and I want to be successful with this group. It's my first Premier League group."
Keith Andrews: "We just weren't clinical enough with the chances we had. We didn't give up anything at the other end. I'm proud of the performance levels. The growth of the team is there for everyone to see."
PL form and fixtures
Chelsea ended a five-game winless run in the Premier League with their first victory, and also their first clean sheet, since 13th December (2-0 vs Everton).
Brentford have lost five of their last six away London derbies in the Premier League (W1), losing each of the last four all by the same 2-0 scoreline.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has scored in consecutive Premier League home games for the first time in just over a year, since doing so in January 2025.