Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling, and Kalidou Koulibaly have all dropped team news hints ahead of Chelsea's clash with Brentford this afternoon. The quartet have posted pre-match graphic previews of the clash to their respective Instagram stories.
Graham Potter will be hoping that Silva is fit for the tie amid concerns that the veteran centre-half may need to be rested following the 2-0 win at Aston Villa. The Blues boss is aware of the importance of managing the 38-year-old's minutes amid such a congested fixture schedule.
The west Londoners sit fourth in the Premier League on 19 points with a game in hand over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, who currently share second place. Chelsea are five games unbeaten under Potter, and with the title race warming up, it's set to be a feisty affair at the Brentford Community Stadium.
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Ahead of what is poised to be a blockbuster west London derby, Potter previewed the tie. Speaking to football.london, the Blues boss said: "That's the beauty of football. You can never predict.
"I think Brentford are really good at what they do, and Thomas [Frank] has done a fantastic job there. They use the quality of their players well and have limited resources compared to everybody in the Premier League, but they make the most of what they have.
"That is a credit to Thomas, his staff, and the players at Brentford. I am always impressed with the job they do. They use Ivan Toney well, but it's not just that. They attack with clarity and defend with aggression and organisation. They are a tough team to play against."
Potter continued by lauding Brentford's for becoming a reputable force in the Premier League. He said: "They align their resources really cleverly. The way they play fits the players they have, and they are very organised around that.
"They know clearly what they are doing in all the phases, set-plays are very dangerous, and Ivan Toney as a centre forward is as dangerous as anybody in the league in his way. They have a spirit and understanding and are really well motivated and organised, and that is a credit to Thomas and his staff."
While Silva, Sterling, Jorginho and Koulibaly posting graphic previews of the Brentford fixture on their social media profiles does not necessarily mean they'll start, it usually means they will be involved in some capacity. Follow live coverage of the game in our blog here.
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