Chelsea make the short trip to Brentford on Saturday as Enzo Maresca’s side continue a run of London fixtures to open the 2025/26 Premier League season. The visitors arrive with encouraging results while Cole Palmer works his way back from a groin injury. Maresca has said that a decision will be made on Palmer after Friday’s training session, but the playmaker may not start anyway, even if he’s deemed fit. The Chelsea boss has to consider the upcoming Champions League fixture away at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Brentford will hope Chelsea are still without Palmer. Keith Andrews’ side look to recover from the 2–1 defeat at Sunderland on 30/08/25 and build on the narrow 1–0 victory over Aston Villa on 23/08/25. Andrews registered his first Premier League win since succeeding Thomas Frank, despite summer departures that left many projecting a difficult campaign. Brentford also registered earlier results including Bournemouth 0–2 Brentford on 26/08/25, Nottingham Forest 3–1 Brentford on 17/08/25 and a 2–2 draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach on 08/08/25.

Chelsea’s recent results include Chelsea 2–0 Fulham (30/08/25), West Ham 1–5 Chelsea (22/08/25), Chelsea 0–0 Crystal Palace (17/08/25), Chelsea 4–1 AC Milan (10/08/25) and wins over Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach in pre-season fixtures listed on 08/08/25.

Team news for Brentford is broadly positive. Vitaly Janelt is available again after a heel injury, Michael Kayode, who had been taken ill while on Italy Under-21 duty, is fit, and Deadline Day arrival Reiss Nelson “will play a part,” Andrews has confirmed. Paris Maghoma and Gustavo Gomes remain sidelined.

Maresca faces selection choices. Liam Delap could be out until December with a hamstring injury and Levi Colwill remains a long-term absentee. Andrey Santos, João Pedro and Estêvão returned late from international duty and injuries may force Santos and Pedro into the starting XI. Dário Essugo has joined the treatment table and Roméo Lavia is unlikely to be available this weekend.

Predicted Brentford XI (4-2-3-1): Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Henry; Henderson, Jensen; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago.

Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; James, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Caicedo, Sandro; Neto, Fernández, Gittens; Pedro.

Chelsea possess clear quality on paper but several members of Maresca’s squad travelled long distances during the international break, which may affect preparation. Brentford have lost key components over the summer yet early signs indicate they remain a resilient Premier League side capable of surprises.

Bryan Mbeumo has described the way Ruben Amorim runs Manchester United as similar to the approach he knew under Thomas Frank, while conceding that his introduction to Old Trafford has been difficult.

The summer recruit has had an unpredictable opening to life at United. He scored his first goal for the club in a humiliating Carabao Cup second-round exit to fourth-tier Grimsby Town. The Cameroon international was on target again in the club’s only win of the season against Burnley, a result belatedly secured with a stoppage-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes.

“It’s been tough,” Mbeumo told Manchester United’s YouTube channel while playing a game of chess. “I was expecting a lot from here because it’s a big club. It’s a big everything.

“I’m really happy with what happened to me here, the teammates, the staff, everyone in Carrington are lovely people,” Mbeumo continued. “You really want to come in and work here every day, which is really good. When I first arrive somewhere I don’t really know, I don’t like to be loud or show myself a lot [be outgoing].”

Amorim, the former Sporting CP manager, played a central role in persuading the forward to move to United, and his public praise for Mbeumo appears to be reciprocated. Mbeumo drew a direct line between Amorim and Frank, the coach who guided his development at Brentford before taking over at Tottenham.

“I think I’ve found some similarities because he always tries to do it in a fun way, and I think this is really important because it makes your life more enjoyable,” he studiously noted.

Challenges remain for both player and club. United face a demanding period in the schedule, travelling to the Etihad Stadium for the first Manchester derby of the season before hosting reigning world champions Chelsea the following weekend. How Mbeumo adapts under Amorim in the coming weeks will be watched closely.

Newcastle United have reached agreement to sign Yoane Wissa from Brentford as part of a wider reshuffle linked to Alexander Isak’s pending move to Liverpool. Sources report a £55 million fee, to be split across two payments, with Brentford also receiving a 25% sell-on clause.

The arrival of Wissa, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, is intended to provide the additional striker firepower Newcastle sought after making Nick Woltemade their headline summer signing. Woltemade, a Germany international, joined the club in a deal reported at £69.3 million following Newcastle’s earlier pursuit of Benjamin Šeško, which was unsuccessful.

Newcastle’s interest in Wissa dates back to July, when an opening bid of £25 million was rejected. The club later returned with an offer of £35 million plus a potential £5 million in add-ons, but Brentford continued to hold out for higher compensation. That hard stance left Wissa publicly frustrated by his club’s refusal to sanction a sale at what he felt was a fair price.

Despite the earlier standoff, The Athletic have now confirmed that the two clubs have finalised terms. The structure of the payment and the sell-on clause reflect Brentford’s determination to extract full value for the 28-year-old forward.

For Newcastle, the signing constitutes the second significant forward recruitment of the window and was described internally as a priority all summer. Wissa’s proven goalscoring record in the Premier League is expected to ease the pathway for Isak’s departure to Liverpool by ensuring the Magpies retain depth in attack.

All elements of the deal now appear to be in place pending any formalities, with the transfer positioned as a direct response to the club’s simultaneous outgoing business and an attempt to balance squad needs ahead of the 2025/26 season.