Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as Fabio Carvalho’s 93rd minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Brentford in Saturday’s west London derby.
The world champions paid for Enzo Maresca’s experimental team selection as Kevin Schade fired Brentford into a first-half lead.
Substitute Cole Palmer led the Chelsea revival on his return from injury to equalise before Moises Caicedo’s thunderous strike looked to have snatched all three points for the Blues.
But Brentford’s persistent threat from long throw-ins got its reward at the death when Carvalho was left unmarked to tap in from close range.
Chelsea remain unbeaten this season but sit only fifth, one point behind the leading quartet of Arsenal, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Liverpool.
Maresca will wonder what might have been had he not seemingly had one eye on Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Bayern Munich.
Jorrel Hato struggled on his full Premier League debut, while Wesley Fofana only lasted 45 minutes on his first start of the season.
Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Gittens were unimpressive in attacking areas as Chelsea were made to pay for wasting 45 minutes.
Brentford saw Yoane Wissa join Bryan Mbeumo in leaving the club this week, stripping to Bees of a combined 39 Premier League goals last season.
The onus is on Schade to step into void left by the departed duo. The German delivered with his first of the season on 35 minutes.
Maresca wasted no time in showing his dissatisfaction with a flat first 45 minutes.
Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Tyrique George replaced Hato, Fofana and Buonanotte at the break.
George forced Caoimhín Kelleher into a fine save, but the game truly turned on the introduction of Palmer on 56 minutes.
The England international missed the Blues previous two games through injury but showed no signs of rustiness to level five minutes after his arrival.
