Sub Cole Palmer fails to inspire Chelsea as they draw a blank at Brentford

Cole Palmer was left on the bench for almost an hour as Chelsea’s winless run on the road continued with a goalless draw at Brentford.

Blues boss Enzo Maresca raised eyebrows by leaving the England forward out of his starting line-up despite his side battling for a Champions League place.

They do have a Conference League quarter-final trip to Legia Warsaw on Thursday, but Maresca’s priorities seemed a little skewed following a pretty insipid stalemate.

When Palmer was eventually introduced he was unable to help break the deadlock, firing his only opportunity over the crossbar, in what was probably the most predictable draw of the season.

With Brentford having forgotten how to win at home and Chelsea winless away in the league since December, surely something had to give at the Gtech Stadium? Unfortunately, nothing did.

Brentford, as usual, were in the faces of Chelsea from the the first whistle, with Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade perpetually getting in behind Blues full-backs Reece James and Malo Gusto.

Amid the organised havoc wreaked by Thomas Frank’s side, Yoane Wissa had two early chances, hooking the first into the side-netting from Mbeumo’s cross before seeing a shot blocked by Trevoh Chalobah.

Gusto was booked after hauling down Schade on the edge of the area, with Mikkel Damsgaard curling the free-kick narrowly over.

Damsgaard was then denied by Robert Sanchez as he burst through, before the Chelsea keeper made a flying save to keep out Nathan Collins’ header.

Chelsea’s solitary effort on target in a one-sided first half was a Noni Madueke drive straight into the arms of Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Maresca did make a change at the break but it was Nicolas Jackson, rather than Palmer, who came on in place of