Germany became the very first nation to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, this past week, thanks in large part to a duo of Chelsea attackers. Timo Werner bagged a brace, and Kai Havertz also scored to lead Deutschland to a 4-0 win over Macedonia.
Whenever Werner scores, it’s a very big deal, and with first choice striker Romelu Lukaku potentially missing out on Saturday versus Brentford, one can expect the German to get his chance here.
Brentford v Chelsea FYIs
Kick: 5:30pm, Brentford Community Stadium, West London, UK
TV: NBC
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction: go here
Premier League Preview Podcast: go here
Head to Head: Chelsea wins 8, Draws 4, Brentford wins 4
Lukaku missed the second match for Belgium this international period, and it looks like he might get a rest here, given that fixture congestion is ahead. That’s a shame because this west London derby could really be a fun one.
The Bees have shown this season that they didn’t cone here to play, they came to slay, and their run of results reflect that. Newly promoted, but hanging tight with the big boys, Brentford has shown to be a tough out for everyone this term.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction at Brentford
Mendy; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Christensen; James, Jorginho, Kante, Chilwell; Mount, Havertz; Werner
Prediction: Chelsea 2, Brentford 1
While we are BEE-lievers here at this website, we just don’t believe, strongly enough, they’ll pull off the upset here.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
He co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.