Thomas Frank thinks “Chelsea need to win against us” ahead of Sunday’s west London derby at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The Bees will face an Enzo Maresca side in hot pursuit of Champions League qualifying, having defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Thursday.
It is a result that extends their remarkable league success at Stamford Bridge to five consecutive triumphs, putting them ahead of Manchester City as the Premier League enters its final eight fixtures.
Chelsea’s away form, on the other hand, is serving as a metaphorical parachute in their efforts to pull away from the pack.
They have not won any of their previous eight domestic road games since December 8, a run of form that has included defeats to Manchester City and Aston Villa.
“I think it’s fair to say they are under pressure,” claimed Frank.
“I’m not trying to play any games here, but they need the Champions League spot, and they need to win against us.”
Brentford head into the game with little pressure. A 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle on Wednesday dampened their European aspirations but the objective remains the same.
“We want [to aim] as high as possible. We want to get a home win. We believe in ourselves. I think we are in a very good place.
“We performed good against Newcastle. We should have got something out of the game; any other game we could have easily won it.
“It was a very good away performance against a good team.”
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Standing firm despite home woes
The setback at St. James’ Park ended a club-record sequence of five straight away wins, which had been crucial in their pursuit of a top-half finish since the turn of the year.
This season has seen a remarkable turnaround in their home and away form, with the Bees winning seven of their first eight games before failing to win at the Gtech Community Stadium in four months.
Brentford had only two points from a run of games against Arsenal, City, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Aston Villa.
Frank showed no anxiety about the reversal in form, saying it is “extremely important” to consider the competition they have encountered as well as their overall performance.
“We had those three games against Arsenal, City, and Liverpool where [in] all three we should’ve got more than just one point.
“The Tottenham game was a game that we clearly dominated and 100 per cent should have got more out of.
“Everton, [we were] leading and don’t finish it off, and then they had the three one-on-ones with Mark [Flekken].
“We are getting very close. Villa’s another game where we did more than enough. It’s a little bit our season.”
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Retaining a strong belief
A West London derby win over Chelsea would be an ideal platform for Brentford to reignite their home form, and doing so would be the first time they have achieved it in the Premier League.
While performances at Stamford Bridge since promotion in 2021 have been standout, with December’s 2-1 defeat the sole blemish on a perfect record, the Bees are without a home triumph since October 1938.
“We believe a lot in ourselves. [We have] a massive belief that we can beat Chelsea, [but] they are favourites to win the game on Sunday,” Frank said.
“It will be an even game that I am convinced that we can win.”
To do so Frank’s side must break down a side that have proven resolute in recent weeks, conceding twice in their past six matches in all competitions.
Though goals have not been a problem for Brentford, who are amongst the top scorers in the division and are the only side to have two players on double figures.
“We have highlighted two or three areas where we think this is where and how we can score, which, of course, I will not talk about,” he added.
A win on Sunday would bring an eight-game winless run on home turf to an end and potentially spark a run heading into the final stretch of the season.
