Police on high alert before Millwall v West Ham, Spurs and Villa face crunch clash - matchday live

The mood will still be tense. There is an odd dynamic to the game. West Ham have at times found it awkward because some of their fans care far more about beating Chelsea and Tottenham. But a trip to Stamford Bridge or N17 is a familiar experience. Going south of the river to Millwall is somehow viewed as different, the short train ride from London Bridge treated as an intrepid journey into some hostile alien planet.

Those early-season thoughts that Chelsea might be the team best-placed to challenge Arsenal are beginning to look extremely over-optimistic. The two chaotic wins with which they began were always difficult to read: they might have been useful points picked up on the way to a more solid structure, or they might have represented evidence of significant problems. After three games without a win, and 12 goals conceded in five games this season, it’s beginning to look like the latter.

At the final whistle, Keith Andrews tipped his head back and roared at the sky, celebrating Brentford’s first home win over Chelsea since 1938. They remain unbeaten, coherent and disciplined, and moved up to third in the table. The comparison is impossible not to draw: as one side flail in an orgy of structured spending, their far less wealthy neighbours thrive with a clear plan and sense of direction. “It was a performance I felt was bubbling,” said Andrews. “I could see it in the players’ eyes over the last two days. They were very focused, very determined.”

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