Chelsea were forced to a 2-2 draw at Brentford thanks to substitute Fabio Carvalho who tapped in an 93th-minute equalizer. The goal denied Chelsea victory in a dramatic London derby.
Carvalho, 23, a Liverpool player who was loaned to Brentford had been on the pitch for less than four minutes before turning in from a long Kevin Schade throw-in. It had looked as if Chelsea substitutes Cole Palmer and Alejandro Garnacho would steal the headlines, but things changed.
The visitors Chelsea was a goal down from the first half but Palmer swept in a first-time volley to equalise just after the hour mark. Palmer was only five minutes into the game before he scored the goal.
Former Manchester United star player Garnacho helped set up midfielder Moises Caicedo to power in a shot past Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in the 85th minute.
Brentford had deserved their half-time lead forward Schade struck in the 35th minute shot after Jordan Henderson’s long ball had sparked a counter-attack. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca dipped into his vast playing resources by making three half-time changes in response.
Maresca had picked a starting line-up with the aim of resting key players for their return to the Champions League after a two-year absence this week. But it didn’t work, and he had to call on them with Palmer also coming on early in the second half to replace winger Jamie Gittens. Chelsea remain fifth after four Premier League matches – and now turn their attentions to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, before returning to domestic action against Manchester United. Brentford, meanwhile, sit 12th.
