Brentford vs Chelsea FC LIVE!

An own goal and a Jorginho penalty fired a mix-and-match Chelsea side into the Carabao Cup semi-finals after a 2-0 win at Brentford.

With the Blues still ravaged by Covid-19, boss Thomas Tuchel handed debuts to academy prospects Harvey Vale, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Xavier Simons for their last-eight meeting with their west London neighbours.

They enjoyed plenty of possession in the match but failed to carve out many clear-cut opportunities, as the match drifted towards a possible penalty shootout.

But it was substitutes N’Golo Kante, Reece James, Mason Mount and Jorginho who turned the tie in Chelsea’s favour.

They left it late but Pontus Jansson’s own goal finally broke the deadlock with ten minutes remaining, and Jorginho wrapped up victory from the spot after Christian Pulisic was brought down.

The Blues will face Tottenham in the last four in the New Year, with Arsenal playing Liverpool in the other semi-final.

Brentford vs Chelsea latest news

• Four semi-finalists confirmed

• GOAL! Jorginho seals the win from the spot

• OWN GOAL! Jansson diverts into his own net

• Brentford team news: Strong side but Toney on bench

• Chelsea team news: Tuchel puts faith in academy

Semi-final lineup is set...

22:49 , Matt Verri

Chelsea to face Tottenham as Arsenal drawn with Liverpool in Carabao Cup semi-finals

22:09 , Matt Verri

First legs on the week commencing January 3, with the second legs the week after.

Chelsea and Arsenal will be at home in the first legs.

Chelsea vs Tottenham

22:08 , Matt Verri

Arsenal vs Liverpool

22:07 , Matt Verri

22:05 , Matt Verri

It’s time for the draw!

Jamie Redknapp and Michael Dawson are at their stations. Four big teams, two big ties coming up.

Tottenham book their place in last four...

22:02 , Matt Verri

How Liverpool made it through...

22:01 , Matt Verri

21:57 , Matt Verri

So, Liverpool join the London trio of Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea in the semi-finals.

We’ll be bringing you the draw when it comes very soon.

21:55 , Matt Verri

Kelleher saves Bertrand’s penalty. Jota the man to step up for Liverpool... if he scores, they’re through.

And he does! We have our semi-finalists.

21:53 , Matt Verri

WOW. Minamino has just blazed over the bar, when he had the chance to send Liverpool through.

Level in the shootout at Anfield.

21:47 , Matt Verri

Arsenal through. Tottenham through. Chelsea through.

One semi-final spot still to be decided. It’s gone to penalties at Anfield, after a 3-3 draw between Liverpool and Anfield.

FULL TIME

21:36 , Matt Verri

Brentford 0-2 Chelsea

They had to work hard for it, but Thomas Tuchel’s side are into the last four of the Carabao Cup.

21:33 , Matt Verri

90 mins: Three added minutes, as Pulisic curls an effort wide.

Thomas Tuchel will be delighted with this result from his much-changed side.

21:31 , Matt Verri

88 mins: Forss staggers to the ground in the box claiming a penalty. A bit of a desperate appeal and it’s waved away.

GOAL! Brentford 0-2 Chelsea | Jorginho 85'

21:28 , Matt Verri

GAME OVER!

Jorginho with his usual hop and skip, and he sends Fernandez the wrong way. That’ll be that for Chelsea, who will be in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup... barring a disastrous five minutes.

PENALTY CHELSEA!

21:27 , Matt Verri

84 mins: It’s falling apart very quickly for Brentford now.

Fernandez brings down Pulisic in the box, referee points straight to the spot. Jorginho with the chance to put the game to bed.

21:25 , Matt Verri

82 mins: Forss on for Brentford, they’ve got 10 minutes to throw everything at this now.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

21:24 , Matt Verri

A bit of quality from Chelsea at last, and no surprise it’s the substitutes that have made the goal. Great feet from Kante, great cross from James, unlucky from Jansson.

GOAL! Brentford 0-1 Chelsea | Pontus Jansson OG 79'

21:23 , Matt Verri

CHELSEA HAVE THE LEAD!

Kante and James combine really well on the right. The wing-back has space to fire a low ball across the face of goal, Jansson takes a big swing at it and it’s into his own net. Disastrous for Brentford.

21:21 , Matt Verri

78 mins: Toney wriggles away from a couple of defenders, and his cross is shanked straight into the air. Kepa claims it as Mbeumo comes charging in to make it awkward.

21:19 , Matt Verri

76 mins: Jensen with a really good delivery from a free-kick, Bech Sorensen threw himself at it but it’s just over him.

Kante on for the Blues, replacing Barkley. Jorginho, Pulisic, James, Mount, Kante. Not a bad five players to introduce.

21:17 , Matt Verri

74 mins: Toney running at the Chelsea defence but Chalobah slides in and hooks the ball away.

Couple of nice touches from the Brentford striker since he’s come on.

21:16 , Matt Verri

73 mins: Two more changes for Brentford. Henry and Baptiste off, Ghoddos and Onyeka on.

21:14 , Matt Verri

71 mins: Just under 20 minutes to go. No sign of a winning goal yet in the second-half, neither side looking particularly threatening.

Henry’s ball is too deep, but comes to Jensen. Crosses it in, and Sarr heads it away. Brentford looking a bit better.

21:11 , Matt Verri

68 mins: Canos into the book, after a not very subtle foul. Alonso nutmegged him and the wing-back hauled him to the ground. Wasn’t about to let the Spaniard run into the box.

James standing over it, really good position to whip something into the six-yard box. Punched away by Fernandez, and then Barkley’s strike is deflected for a corner.

21:08 , Matt Verri

65 mins: Wissa off for Toney, and Norgaard is on to replace Janelt.

For Chelsea, Mount and James on for Vale and Simons. Both sides strengthening up.

21:07 , Matt Verri

64 mins: Brentford can’t get out. Haven’t had any of the dangerous attacks that they had in the first half.

Chelsea passing it around comfortably, but struggling when they get to the final third. Crosses into the box haven’t been good enough.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

21:04 , Matt Verri

The cavalry are coming. Thomas Frank senses an opportunity and is about to send on his best two players, Christian Norgaard and Ivan Toney, the latter making his return from a Covid absence that started even before the Bees’ postponed matches.

21:02 , Matt Verri

59 mins: Jensen for some reason decides not to shoot and clips it into the box. Jansson commits the foul and the chance is gone.

We’ll file that under ‘waste’.

21:01 , Matt Verri

58 mins: Henry vs Simons... we’ve seen this one before.

Brentford man gets the cross in, Azpilicueta is there to steer it behind for a corner. Taken short but not worked particularly well.

Mbeumo then wins a free-kick on the edge of the box, fouled by Barkley. Good position.

20:58 , Matt Verri

55 mins: Nice ball down the line from Canos sets Mbeumo away down the right, but Chalobah gets across to take control. Just as well he did, Wissa was free in the middle.

Barkley then throws himself at a cross and diverts it at goal, but straight at Fernandez.

20:56 , Matt Verri

53 mins: Chelsea very nearly do create something there. Great ball in causes complete chaos, bounces off Henry and it’s almost in for an own goal. Fernandez claws it away.

20:54 , Matt Verri

51 mins: Not much happening at all. Chelsea having all the possession, Brentford just sitting off... and Chelsea unable to create anything.

Flicked over the top to Alonso, he can’t get on the end of it and it runs out for a goal-kick.

20:51 , Matt Verri

48 mins: That’s much better though. Baptise shows great feet and strength to keep going, despite being fouled a couple of times.

Eventually comes to Wissa who tries to find Mbeumo at the back post but there’s too much on it and it’s straight out of play.

20:49 , Matt Verri

47 mins: Saul pulls it back to Vale and he has space... quickly crowded out though and his poke finds Mbeumo.

As at the start of the first-half, only Wissa up with him though and Brentford can’t launch the counter.

Back underway

20:48 , Matt Verri

Kovacic and Soonsup-Bell off for Chelsea at half-time, Jorginho and Pulisic on.

Thought Tuchel might do something to help Simons who has really struggled. Doesn’t look like it.

20:43 , Matt Verri

Jorginho and Pulisic warming up at the break for Chelsea, and both look ready to come on at the start of the second half. Strong reinforcements to have...

20:42 , Matt Verri

So 68% of possession for Chelsea and eight shots in the half, with three of those on target. Only Vale’s header was a really presentable chance though.

Brentford have had four shots and three on target... all three could have been goals.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

20:35 , Matt Verri

After a pretty drab start, that turned into a decent half of football. Brentford have been the better side and Kepa has made a few excellent saves, but Vale really should have marked his debut with a goal just before the break.

HALF-TIME

20:32 , Matt Verri

Brentford 0-0 Chelsea

No added time, and that’s half-time. Brentford were strangely passive at the start of the match but they’ve grown into it, and had decent chances to take the lead but Kepa has denied them. Vale could also have scored for the visitors, but while Chelsea dominated possession, the hosts had the better chances.

20:31 , Matt Verri

45 mins: Alonso wins a free-kick in a really dangerous position. Can Chelsea get themselves in front before the break?

No. Barkley smacks it straight into the wall. Mbeumo breaks away with it, Vale comes sliding in and that will be a yellow card.

20:29 , Matt Verri

43 mins: Kepa gives it to Kovacic under pressure, and he calmly turns away from a couple of Brentford players.

Comes to Azpilicueta on the right wing, it’s a great ball in... Vale heads it straight at Fernandez. Big chance.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

20:27 , Matt Verri

Chelsea’s first shot on target, in the 40th minute, and it’s a speculative long-ranger straight at the ‘keeper. They’ve had plenty of the ball but have created almost nothing.

20:27 , Matt Verri

41 mins: Another big chance for Brentford, but Kepa is up to the task.

Pinged over the top and Henry is away, Simons can’t do anything to catch him. Puts the Brentford man under a bit of pressure, and the shot is turned behind for a corner.

Janelt has space for the shot on the edge of the box, but decides to play the pass but his teammates weren’t expecting it.

20:25 , Matt Verri

39 mins: Henry plays a ball through the Chelsea defence. Wissa and Mbeumo both run onto it, both probably offside.

Doesn’t matter anyway, Kepa comes out and claims.

20:23 , Matt Verri

37 mins: Good place from Kovacic and Vale has it on the edge of the box. Turns and finds the space for the shot really well, good footwork... deflected behind for a corner.

Barkley takes deep, comes back to Chalobah who brings out the bicycle kick. It’s on target to be fair to him, but no pace on the effort.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

20:20 , Matt Verri

You can tell Henry sense a mis-match against young Simons on that side. He looked up as if he was about to cross there and then realised he had the teenager one-on-one and decided to skin him instead.

Jensen should’ve done better with the header.

20:20 , Matt Verri

34 mins: Baptise to Henry, into the box... Chalobah there again in the box to clear. That’s a few times now he’s been in the right place to sort out the danger.

20:18 , Matt Verri

32 mins: Another headed chance, another Kepa save.

Henry continues to look dangerous when he runs down the left, and he stands up a ball to the far post. Jensen has to generate all the pace and Kepa is able to save it comfortably enough.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

20:16 , Matt Verri

Saul’s just had a shot from about 30 yards that bounced before it reached the edge of the box. Not having a great time of it, is he?

20:15 , Matt Verri

29 mins: Chelsea back to enjoying lots of possession, but mainly in defence. Saul and Kovacic are getting on the ball, but yet to do anything dangerous with it.

Alonso down in the box after Vale pulls it back... no penalty.

20:13 , Matt Verri

27 mins: Brentford win the throw-in... it’s going to be a long one from Bech Sorensen. Or at least, that was the plan. Not much distance on it but Pinnock is able to win the corner.

Jensen takes, really deep... Mbeumo winds up the big volley and it’s out for a throw-in.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

20:11 , Matt Verri

We’ve not seen much of Simons on that right flank, but the other two Chelsea debutants have started brightly. Soonsup-Bale and Vale combined nicely to create a chance for Barkley a few minutes ago and they almost linked up again there.

20:10 , Matt Verri

25 mins: Alonso with a nice ball to the far post, where Fernandez just about palms it away. Falls to Azpilicueta on the edge of the box, who blazes it over the bar.

20:09 , Matt Verri

23 mins: Soonsup-Bell and Vale very nearly combine in the Brentford box, but there’s just too much on the pass and it runs through to the goalkeeper.

Not a huge amount of action in the match so far. Plenty of comfortable possession without too much attacking threat.

20:07 , Matt Verri

21 mins: Canos running at Alonso, who keeps backtracking... loose touch from the Brentford man allows Alonso to put a foot in.

Chalobah’s clearance is then charged down by Mbeumo, but it’s behind for a goal-kick.

20:05 , Matt Verri

19 mins: Kovacic has space in midfield, and he plays it wide to Alonso. He sends the cross in and Barkley wins the header, but he can only loop it back across goal and Fernandez can easily claim it.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts...

20:04 , Matt Verri

For ten minutes at the start of the game, Brentford sat off Chelsea and hardly had a kick.

But in the last five it’s as if they’ve noticed the makeshift nature of their opposition and have looked a real threat, particularly down the left, where one time Brentford youth player Xavier Simons might well be in for a tough night again the raiding Rico Henry.

20:03 , Matt Verri

16 mins: Canos whips a dangerous looking ball in, but Chalobah gets a foot on it to poke it away.

Comes back in for Brentford though... Canos can’t direct his header at the far post, gets it all wrong.

Chelsea straight on the counter and Barkley has room in the box, but he makes a mess of the finish and it’s well wide.

20:00 , Matt Verri

14 mins: Brentford starting to offer a bit more in attack now. Henry getting forward and he looks a dangerous option on the left.

19:58 , Matt Verri

12 mins: Henry is so, so quick on the left wing and he absolutely charges away from Azpilicueta. Played back to Mbeumo on the edge of the box, and he dinks it to the far post.

Wissa is completely free a few yards out, but his header gives Kepa a chance and the goalkeeper palms it away. Had to score from there. Janelt is then booked as Chelsea break.

19:56 , Matt Verri

10 mins: Wissa and Mbeumo breaks for Brentford... Mbeumo pulls it back, but it’s behind his strike partner. The hosts don’t have anyone else forward either, every other Brentford shirt staying back.

Going to be hard work for the front two if this carries on.

19:55 , Matt Verri

8 mins: Henry wins it back for Brentford, but Azpilicueta is quickly in to take the ball and the Blues have it back.

Kepa gets his first touch of the match as Chelsea play it back to him. It’s a nice move back up the pitch from the visitors, before Alonso’s cutback into the box is cleared.

19:52 , Matt Verri

6 mins: No chances yet, but Brentford have barely had a kick in the opening stages. Sitting really deep... you’d have thought they might have been a bit more aggressive early on against a Chelsea side with so many changes.

Kovacic already enjoying plenty of the ball, on his return to the starting lineup.

Malik Ouzia’s thoughts

19:50 , Matt Verri

Ethan Pinnock is back in the Brentford side tonight after his Covid absence but is playing on the right of the back-three, rather than the left, where he is more comfortable.

He looked a little lost in possession there trying to dribble out and was lucky he wasn’t punished after Kovacic nicked it off him.

19:49 , Matt Verri

4 mins: Alonso goes down on the left under a challenge from Canos. Pleads for the free-kick... Andre Marriner is not in a generous mood.

Simons has lined up at right wing-back for Chelsea, with Azpilicueta on the right of the back three.

19:48 , Matt Verri

2 mins: Chelsea with much of the early possession, Brentford happy to let the defenders knock it around at the back.

Hosts try and play out from the back themselves, but Pinnock loses it and the Blues have the ball back.

KICK-OFF!

19:46 , Matt Verri

Chelsea get us underway. We’ll go straight to penalties if it’s level after 90 minutes.

19:44 , Matt Verri

Players coming out now. Brentford fans in good voice... be relieved to see their team back on the pitch after the recent postponements.

Chelsea side also out. Some incredibly youthful faces!

19:37 , Matt Verri

Ten minutes to go until kick-off. It’s been a poor run of results and performances in recent weeks for Chelsea.

Will a different competition and a youthful lineup give them a fresh start, and potentially a positive result heading into Christmas?

Brentford will have very different plans...

Warm-ups nearly done...

19:31 , Matt Verri

“Not a free hit but a big opportunity"

19:20 , Matt Verri

Thomas Frank’s side are looking to make the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup for the second season in a row. They lost 2-0 to Tottenham to end their run last year.

“For us, we see it as a massive opportunity to go to the semi-finals,” Frank said.

“Last year, we did the same and that’s where we are fighting in a tough promotion battle and playing even more games than this year and more extreme circumstances than this year. Not a free hit, big opportunity.”

19:12 , Matt Verri

No surprise to see plenty of changes for the Blues. Tuchel had this to say after Chelsea’s application to get their match against Wolves postponed was rejected.

“We put a huge health and safety risk physically and not only from Covid,” Tuchel said. This was the decision and of course, that’s it. I’m not sure if I catch it and hopefully I will not catch it. Will I do sports the very next day if I have to isolate for 10 days?

“We put Kova into a Premier League match the second day after a Covid infection. So if you count this as 14 valuable players to play in the Premier League – the toughest league in the world - on the level that it needs, okay it is like this.

“We can survive a game, but we will pay the price. At some point we will pay the price for sure.”

Tuchel trusting youth...

19:05 , Matt Verri

19:01 , Matt Verri

It’s a more familiar looking Brentford side, with plenty of first-team names in the starting lineup.

Ivan Toney only on the bench, perhaps not yet up to full fitness after testing positive for Covid earlier in the month.

18:55 , Matt Verri

Eight changes from Thomas Tuchel. Harvey Vale, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Xavier Simons are given their debuts as the German relies on some academy prospects.

Mateo Kovacic starts for the first time since playing Southampton in the previous round, nearly two months ago.

BRENTFORD LINEUP

18:48 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Fernandez, Bech, Jansson, Pinnock, Canos, Baptiste, Jensen, Janelt, Henry, Wissa, Mbeumo

Subs: Cox, Thompson, Norgaard, Forss, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Toney, Peart-Harris, Stevens

CHELSEA LINEUP

18:46 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Arrizabalaga, Simons, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Saul, Alonso, Barkley, Soonsup-Bell, Vale.

Subs: Bettinelli, James, Rudiger, Hall, Jorginho, Kante, Webster, Mount, Pulisic.

18:38 , Matt Verri

Team news to come in about five minutes. Almost impossible to predict the two sides, considering the Covid problems both clubs have had.

Scene is set...

18:32 , Matt Verri

How Brentford reached the quarter-finals

18:25 , Matt Verri

The Bees have played a match more than Chelsea in the Carabao Cup this season.

Thomas Frank’s side beat Forest Green Rovers 3-1 in the second round, before cruising past Oldham at home with a resounding 7-0 victory.

Brentford booked their place in the last eight with a 2-1 win away to Stoke in the last round.

How Chelsea reached the quarter-finals

18:16 , Matt Verri

Chelsea’s two Carabao Cup matches so far this season have both finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, against Aston Villa and then Southampton.

The Blues came out on top on penalties on each occasion, winning both shootouts 4-3.

They were knocked out last season by Tottenham on penalties after a 1-1 draw, so it’s three matches in a row in the Carabao Cup that have gone the distance.

Prediction

18:07 , Matt Verri

Chelsea were indebted to the heroics of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy for helping to seal an unlikely 1-0 win on this ground in the League back in October. The Bees piled on relentless pressure in a bid to cancel out Chilwell’s first-half goal, but just could not find a way past the inspired Senegal international.

As with any game at the moment, much will depend on what players are available to both sides during the current Covid nightmare.

But Chelsea are looking a shadow of the side that easily topped the Premier League just a few short weeks ago, either undone by a lack of chances or sloppy defending. Brentford, meanwhile, have lost only one of their last five games and tend to turn up for big nights in front of their own fans.

This could go either way, but we’re backing the Bees to cause an upset and reach the semis once again.

Brentford 2-1 Chelsea

17:58 , Matt Verri

Chelsea were without Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi at Wolves as they named a six-man bench including two goalkeepers, while Jorginho was also left behind after recording both positive and negative tests.

Ben Chilwell also tested positive, but is already sidelined by a long-term knee injury.

Trevoh Chalobah and Hakim Ziyech both sustained knocks against Wolves, while Andreas Christensen also missed the game through injury.

Brentford team news

17:43 , Matt Verri

Ivan Toney and Ethan Pinnock should be back for Brentford after positive tests, while it remains to be seen if Mathias Jorgensen has recovered from a hamstring issue.

Kristoffer Ajer, David Raya, Josh Dasilva and Julian Jeanvier are all sidelined through injury.

How to watch Brentford vs Chelsea

17:30 , Matt Verri

In the UK, Brentford vs Chelsea has not been selected for television coverage so will not be broadcast live.

However, highlights will be available to watch via Quest from 10:30pm on Wednesday night.

Hello!

17:22 , Matt Verri

Good evening and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of the Carabao Cup quarter-final between Brentford and Chelsea.

It was exciting when these two sides met in the league earlier in the season, and it should be once again tonight with a place in the last four up for grabs.

Chelsea have struggled for form in recent weeks, while Brentford have not played for 12 days after having matches postponed due to Covid outbreaks.

We’ll have all the build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 7:45pm GMT at the Brentford Community Stadium.