The Premier League has officially announced the match officials for Chelsea’s upcoming fixture against Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Peter Bankes has been appointed as the referee for the West London derby, which kicks off at 7 pm on Sunday evening. This adjustment follows Chelsea’s lengthy journey to Kazakhstan for their UEFA Europa Conference League tie against Astana on Thursday. The 16-hour round trip was further extended due to the need to avoid flying over conflict zones in Ukraine, Russia, and Syria. To accommodate the Blues' travel schedule, the Premier League rescheduled the match from its traditional 2 pm slot.

Bankes is an experienced referee with a history of officiating both Chelsea and Brentford matches. He has presided over 10 games involving Chelsea, during which the Blues have recorded six wins, three draws, and one loss. Brentford, meanwhile, have had Bankes as the referee in 19 matches, achieving seven victories, seven draws, and five defeats. So far this season, Bankes has officiated eight Premier League fixtures, issuing an average of four yellow cards per game and awarding just over 18 fouls per 90 minutes.

The referee was last in charge of Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Brighton and Hove Albion in September, where he awarded a penalty in the 28th minute, converted by Cole Palmer. Sunday’s match will mark the first time Bankes has officiated a Brentford game this season. Ian Hussin and Nick Greenhalgh will serve as assistant referees, while Rob Jones will be the fourth official. VAR duties will be handled by Matt Donohue, assisted by Dan Robathan.

Managers’ Pre-Match Thoughts

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca emphasised the importance of focusing on daily improvements in preparation for the game. He said:

"I like to convince myself and the players that the only way to fight for something or compete is to stay focused on the day-to-day. If you start thinking one, two, or three months ahead, it’s the beginning of a bad time. The good thing is I truly believe in thinking day by day. This approach isn’t just something I say because I must, but it’s the way to improve myself and my players. By concentrating on what we can do better in training or enhancing the team’s performance, we can keep progressing. As for thinking about something different, I don’t know when that moment will come."

Brentford manager Thomas Frank acknowledged Chelsea’s strong form and high-quality squad but expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete. He said:

"I expect an exciting game between two good teams. Chelsea are possibly the best team in the Premier League right now and may even be in better form than Liverpool, despite Liverpool being top of the league. They’re playing incredible football and are exceptionally well-coached. Enzo Maresca and his staff have done an outstanding job so far, and Chelsea look extremely dangerous, with threats across the pitch and top-quality players. I anticipate an unbelievably tough match. They are the clear favourites, but we believe we can compete against anyone and are confident in our ability to win."

Chelsea, aiming to continue their strong run of form, will face a resilient Brentford side eager to challenge their West London rivals. The clash promises to be an intense and competitive encounter.