Brentford became the first-ever team to win on their first three visits to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea.

The home side dominated the ball, but the Bees made their moments count as second-half goals from Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbeumo secured three more points in SW6.

Chelsea met by stubborn Bees backline as first half ends goalless

Thomas Frank made two changes from the home win over Burnley: Hickey returned from suspension and resumed duties at left wing-back, while Mads Roerslev started on the opposite side of the Bees’ back five. Neal Maupay and Frank Onyeka were the two players to make way.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino made three changes of his own, two of those enforced as Enzo Fernández and Mykhailo Mudryk dropped out of the matchday squad. Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson all came into the starting XI.

It was a fast start from both sides. At one end, Kristoffer Ajer’s header set Bryan Mbeumo for a shot that was blocked in the middle of the box. A quick counter then saw Cole Palmer’s cross go right across the face of goal.

Nicolas Jackson then went close, cutting in from the left wing to curl a shot beyond Mark Flekken’s far post.

Robert Sánchez was called into action for the first time when Mbeumo flashed a shot at him from the right side of the box. At the other end, Flekken could do nothing as Madueke’s long-range effort smacked the crossbar but bounced to safety.

The Dutchman then went flying across his line to parry Conor Gallagher’s low shot as neither side showed signs of letting up inside the first 15 minutes.

The home side, backed by nearly 40,000 supporters inside Stamford Bridge, continued to apply pressure.

Marc Cucurella latched on to the end of a Palmer cross to fire directly at Flekken, then Raheem Sterling found space in the box but couldn’t keep his shot from finding the upper tier of the Matthew Harding Stand.

The lightning start gave way to a battle for possession as the half wore on. The game slowed as each team struggled to create a clear opening.

Things livened up as the break approached. Madueke brought the best out of Hickey when the Scottish international blocked a volley on the edge of the box. Cucurella then saw a similar effort stopped by Roerslev.

The visitors pushed to get back up the other end. But for a heavy touch, Hickey might have found himself one-on-one with Sánchez. Then Mbeumo’s clever dummy allowed space for Roerslev to race behind the backline. His cross had a little too much on it for Wissa in the middle.

Just before the interval, Palmer clipped a free-kick over the bar as the deadlock remained intact with 45 to play.

Pinnock and Mbeumo goals secure Brentford’s third successive win at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea started the second half brightly. Palmer’s lofty pass found Cucurella on the left and his fierce low cross was diverted wide by Ajer.

The Norwegian was then straight down the other end, squaring the ball for Vitaly Janelt to fire at goal from the penalty spot. Sánchez stood strong and parried it away but it was a warning from the away team.

Just before the hour, Brentford followed up on that threat and took the lead. Jensen collected the ball before clipping it down the wing for Mbeumo. His cross to the far post was headed home by Pinnock, who had run the length of the pitch to rise above Disasi and net his first goal of the campaign.

Chelsea sparked into life. Collins had to be sharp to flick a deep cross from Sterling away from the far post. Then a short kick from Flekken was swiped away from the feet of Palmer by a perfectly timed Christian Nørgaard intervention.

The home side continued to push. A corner found Thiago Silva’s head but the ball fizzed narrowly wide of the target.

With time nearly up, Brentford had a chance to double their lead. Mbeumo raced away and found substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk in space. The Ukrainian went one-on-one with Sánchez but the keeper spread himself to parry the shot.

Mbeumo then connected with a low cross from the right to fire agonisingly wide of the target.

But the Bees were not to be denied a second goal at the Bridge. In the final minute of stoppage time, with Chelsea keeper Sánchez having come up for a corner, Maupay carried the ball into the hosts’ half and passed to Mbeumo, who rolled home into an empty net.

Saturday’s victory meant that Brentford have won four consecutive away London derbies for the first time in their league history.

Chelsea: Sánchez, Disasi (James 67), Thiago Silva, Colwill, Cucurella (Washington 81), Gallagher, Caicedo (Ugochukwu 81), Madueke (Maatsen 67), Palmer, Sterling, Jackson

Subs not used: Badiashile, Gusto, Petrovic, Beach, Matos

Brentford: Flekken, Ajer, Pinnock, Collins, Roerslev, Jensen (Onyeka 64), Nørgaard, Janelt, (Yarmoliuk 76), Hickey (Ghoddos 84), Mbeumo, Wissa (Maupay 76)

Subs not used: Zanka, Mee, Strakosha, Olakigbe, Brierley

Frank reveals half-time tweaks that won west London derby

Thomas Frank discussed the half-time tweaks which ensured the win over Chelsea was a 'fully fair' result, after being disappointed with his side's first-half performance

The hosts had 69 per cent possession and 10 attempts in the opening 45 minutes, as well as hitting the crossbar, but the sides went into the break at 0-0.

And a change in mentality and some slight tactical tweaks changed the game for the Bees, who scored two second-half goals and secured the victory.

The Bees boss said: “In the first half, I wasn’t pleased with the performance - I think we were average at best.

"Chelsea were good in that first 45 minutes and we weren’t defending as well as we normally do, we were hanging in there.

"We didn’t give too much away but, normally, the standards we have are higher. On the ball, we were not cool enough, I think we could have had a few more passes together.  

“So, at half-time, I asked the players to believe, that was the first thing, and to trust themselves - we had so much more to add.

"A big thing was the coolness on the ball, a big thing was getting a few more passes together when we could, and we also adjusted a few bits defensively. 

“Then, throughout that second half, the performance means the result is fully fair.”

Pinnock: Our gameplan worked against Chelsea

Ethan Pinnock believes that Brentford executed their gameplan perfectly against Chelsea on Saturday.

The home side had 69 per cent possession but the Bees showed defensive resolve and a cutting edge in SW6.

“It feels great,” Pinnock said. “We knew it was going to be really tough because they’ve been playing really well these last few weeks, but we stayed in the game, we stayed compact, and we managed to frustrate them.

“Kris [Ajer], Nath [Collins] – the communication was good. We dealt with a lot of their danger.

“As long as we’re all talking to each other, that keeps us focused and concentrated.”