Seeking to secure their fourth successive victory in all competitions, Chelsea welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Stamford Bridge for a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams butt heads for the first time in four months when the West Londoners came out on top via a 2-1 scoreline against the Seagulls at the Amex Stadium.
Match preview
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Since playing out a frustrating 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on home soil, Chelsea have won each of their last three games across all competitions by an aggregate score of 9-0, including back-to-back victories over Bournemouth (1-0) and West Ham United (3-0) in the Premier League.
Three days on from beating the Hammers in their own back yard, Enzo Maresca made 11 changes for Tuesday's EFL Cup third-round tie against fourth-tier team Barrow, but his side still managed to cruise to a 5-0 win on home soil, with Christopher Nkunku unsurprisingly in the headlines for netting a superb hat-trick.
Chelsea will face either Newcastle United or AFC Wimbledon in the fourth round next month, but they must now turn their attention to Saturday's top-flight clash with Brighton before facing Gent (Europa Conference League) and Nottingham Forest. Maresca will be keen to see his side build on the positive run of form they have put together and enter the next international break on a high.
Interestingly, no Premier League team have accumulated more points than Chelsea (25) since the start of May, with 10 of those picked up in their opening five matches of the current campaign, which sees them sitting fifth in the table and only three points behind reigning champions Manchester City at the summit.
Chelsea have won all three of their top-flight away games this term, but they are yet to celebrate success at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have also won just one of their last four Premier League home meetings with Brighton, but that was recorded in their most recent such clash - a 3-2 victory in December 2023.
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Brighton are one of only four Premier League teams who are still unbeaten after five matches this season and were involved in a feisty 2-2 draw with another of those, Nottingham Forest, at the Amex Stadium last weekend.
In a contest that saw both managers sent off and Morgan Gibbs-White controversially dismissed late on, Brighton were leading 2-1 at the interval thanks to two goals scored in three minutes from Jack Hinshelwood and Danny Welbeck, but a 70th-minute strike from Ramon Sosa ultimately salvaged a point for Nuno Espirito Santo's side.
Fabian Hurzeler will not be in the dugout when Brighton travel to Chelsea on Saturday, as he has been charged by the FA with "acting in an improper manner" in the closing stages of last weekend's draw.
Assistant coach Andrew Crofts is therefore set to lead the Seagulls at Stamford Bridge and believes that the first-team squad have "a lot to learn, review, analyse and grow from" following the draw with Forest.
Brighton will be seeking revenge against Chelsea after they suffered defeat both home and away against the Blues last season; the Seagulls have only ever won three of their previous 23 meetings with the West Londoners across all competitions.
Team News
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Chelsea are still having to cope without captain Reece James as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury, but Maresca has confirmed that Romeo Lavia is available for selection after a spell on the sidelines with a thigh problem.
After making 11 changes in midweek, Maresca is set to revert to a similar side that beat West Ham last weekend, although Malo Gusto could retain his spot at right-back after returning from injury to play the first 45 minutes against Barrow.
Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer are all expected to be recalled in midfield, while Nicolas Jackson - labelled "the full package" by Hurzeler - is set to replace hat-trick hero Nkunku up front and link up with wingers Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke in attack.
As for Brighton, Hurzeler has confirmed that Joao Pedro is ruled out with a knock picked up in the closing stages of last weekend's draw with Forest, while Matt O'Riley (ankle), Solly March (knee) and James Milner (thigh) all remain in the treatment room with injuries.
However, Yasin Ayari is available to return after missing the last match through illness, while summer signing Brajan Gruda could return to the matchday squad after a spell on the sidelines with an unspecified problem.
Midfielder Mats Wieffer will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI ahead of either Hinshelwood or Carlos Baleba, while fellow new recruit Yankuba Minteh will battle with Simon Adingra for a start on the right wing.
In the absence of Pedro, club-record signing Georginio Rutter is poised to continue in an advanced role behind central striker Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Baleba; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck
We say: Chelsea 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
At least three goals have been scored across each of the last four Premier League meetings between these two attack-minded teams, and another entertaining contest could be in store at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Brighton have several technically gifted forwards who could cause Chelsea problems and end the club's run of three consecutive clean sheets, but we feel the West Londoners will ultimately find a way to outscore their opponents and claim their first home league victory of the season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
