Brentford produced a dominant home performance to inflict a heavy 3-0 defeat on Chelsea, extending their unbeaten start to the Premier League season to five matches and lifting them into third place in the table. The result leaves Chelsea winless in their last three league outings as they head into the international break under increasing scrutiny.
The Bees broke the deadlock through Jaidon Anthony, who converted after a quiet first half to finish off an outstanding whipped delivery from Mikkel Damsgaard, whose set-piece service was otherwise below his usual standard on the night. Anthony had missed a golden opportunity himself earlier in the second half before making amends with the opener.
Brentford doubled their advantage soon after when Kevin Schade, in fine form once again, exploited space in behind to run clear before finishing past Emiliano Martinez. Chelsea's back line was caught out for the second successive time in the move, with Josh Acheampong, on for Wesley Fofana, unable to prevent the danger.
Igor Thiago, who had gone four league games without a goal heading into the fixture, finally ended his drought late on with a well-taken strike that visibly lifted the pressure that had been building on him. The Brazilian forward had worked tirelessly throughout without reward until that moment, and his celebration reflected the release of tension after weeks of toil in front of goal.
Substitute Fabio Carvalho added further gloss to the scoreline in the closing stages, tapping home unmarked at the far post after Acheampong's touch diverted a cross into his path, sealing a comprehensive win for the hosts.
Jannik Schuster, despite a nervy moment when an overhit backpass nearly gifted Chelsea an own goal, played a key role in setting up the winning contribution, while Yehor Yarmoliuk marked his 100th appearance for the club with a threatening long-range effort and a hand in creating one of Brentford's best chances of the game. Vitaly Janelt offered a strong physical presence in midfield throughout.
For Chelsea, the afternoon was a largely forgettable one. Cole Palmer was singled out as the visitors' most influential player, driving much of their attacking play and working hard defensively, though he could not find the decisive moment he was searching for, with a free-kick comfortably saved. Danny Welbeck, making his first Premier League start for the club, struggled to make an impact in the absence of the injured Joao Pedro and was withdrawn after 72 minutes.
Chelsea's defence, missing suspended captain Reece James, endured a difficult evening. Levi Colwill, deputising as skipper, oversaw a shaky unit that repeatedly failed to deal with the pace and movement of Brentford's forwards. Wesley Fofana was exposed for the second goal before being replaced, while Maxence Lacroix, who had generally coped well with Igor Thiago, was culpable in the buildup to Brentford's second and also missed a late chance of his own.
Jordan Henderson made his return from injury without any signs of rust according to one assessment, though he was also criticised elsewhere for a lack of incisiveness in his passing from a deep midfield role, having been jeered by the home crowd throughout.
With the international break now arriving, Chelsea manager will have plenty to address, while Brentford can take real encouragement from a result that underlines their impressive early-season form under their current setup.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport and Standard Sport.