Brentford 0 Chelsea 0: Points shared in west London derby at Gtech Community Stadium | OneFootball

Brentford were held to a goalless draw by Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Bees had numerous chances in the west London derby, particularly during a dominant first-half display, but neither side could find a winner at Gtech Community Stadium.

Thomas Frank made two changes to the starting XI from the previous Wednesday night's trip to Newcastle United, with Kristoffer Ajer and Mikkel Damsgaard returning to the side in place of Ethan Pinnock and Vitaly Janelt.

Sepp van den Berg moved back to centre-back, while Rico Henry was named amongst the substitutes for the first time since January.

Chelsea had the first chance within the opening two minutes as Reece James' teasing free-kick from the right wing was just out of the reach of two players in the middle of the box before Christopher Nkunku headed high and wide of the mark at the back post.

Brentford had an opportunity of their own a minute later but, after Bryan Mbeumo had volleyed Keane Lewis-Potter's deep cross back across goal, Yoane Wissa couldn't direct the ball on target from a tight angle.

Lewis-Potter was involved in the next opening, too, as he released Kevin Schade down the left wing. The German pulled the ball back to Wissa, who saw the sting taken out of his first-time shot by a ricochet before Chelsea keeper Robert Sánchez collected it.

Damsgaard, who had curled a free-kick just over moments earlier, had a great chance midway through the half. A loose pass from Sánchez was played forward first time by van den Berg to Wissa, who then dinked the Dane in on goal, but he couldn't sort his feet out to get a shot off from eight yards.

The Bees continued to be in the ascendancy with Mbeumo going close with just over half an hour played. The Cameroon international robbed James on the right wing before cutting inside and drilling narrowly wide of the bottom corner.

Mbeumo then turned provider as the hosts continued to push, with his corner being headed goalwards by Lewis-Potter, but Sánchez acrobatically turned his effort away.

Tosin Adarabioyo glanced a header wide at the other end in first-half additional time.

Nicolas Jackson, brought on at half-time by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, had an early sight of goal after the restart, but he scuffed his effort from the corner of the box and it rolled out for a goal kick.

The visitors nearly took the lead in bizarre fashion as van den Berg, in his attempt to clear a deflected low cross, kicked the ball straight at Mark Flekken before the Dutch defender bundled the ball out for a corner.

Pedro Neto, introduced from the bench alongside Cole Palmer just short of the hour mark, then tested Flekken with a curling left-footed effort from the edge of the area, with the away side enjoying their best spell of the game.

The Bees keeper came up with an even better save shortly afterwards, parrying Trevoh Chalobah's goalbound header following a Neto corner.

An electric counter attack nearly saw Mbeumo break the deadlock going into the final 10 minutes. He picked up the ball on the edge of the Brentford box and drove forward, exchanging passes with Wissa, before his well-struck effort was turned around the post by Sánchez.

The resulting corner was played short to the impressive Lewis-Potter, who delivered a delightful cross into van den Berg in the six-yard box but the latter headed into the ground, with the bounce taking the ball over the crossbar.

Wissa headed just wide of the bottom corner moments later and Palmer nearly snatched the three points at the death as the Chelsea talisman curled onto the roof of the net with the last kick of the game.

Brentford: Flekken; Ajer (Kayode 83), Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Nørgaard, Yarmoliuk (Janelt 66), Damsgaard (Jensen 83); Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade

Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Mee, Konak, Maghoma

Chelsea: Sánchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, James (Cucurella 77); Caicedo, Fernández; Madueke (Neto 59), Dewsbury-Hall (Palmer 59), Sancho; Nkunku (Jackson 46)

Subs not used: Jørgensen, Badiashile, Colwill, George, Acheampong

Attendance: 17, 183

Frank pleased with another good performance

Thomas Frank praised his side following Sunday's home draw against Chelsea.

“It was another good performance," said Frank.

"Unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalise on it and get the three points. We got a draw and a clean sheet, which is good, and I think we were closer to winning the game than Chelsea.

“The first half was very good; we were on top of them, the second half was more even.

“I thought we defended fantastically, the whole team, and going the other way we had some great chances.

“I think, in general this season, we’ve been very consistent."

Lewis-Potter: We created the better chances

Keane Lewis-Potter reacted to Brentford's goalless draw against Chelsea at Gtech Community Stadium.

“We always knew it was going to be tough,” said Lewis-Potter.

“It was a bit end to end and I think we created the better chances.

"On another day, I think we win it. But they’re a good team so I think it’s a good point.”