Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion will look to continue their unbeaten runs when they clash at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Gameweek 6 of the 2024/25 Premier League season kicks off on Saturday with the tie between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St. James’ Park. The action on the day will continue with five subsequent fixtures, including Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea began the 2024/25 season with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, with the result leaving many doubting Enzo Maresca’s credentials and questioning the West London club’s decision to sack Mauricio Pochettino. However, since then, the Italian tactician has guided his team to the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage while remaining unbeaten in the Premier League.
The Blues are on a four-game unbeaten streak, with the run of results taking them to fifth in the Premier League standings, only three points behind Manchester City. In addition, they come into Saturday’s game on the back of a 5-0 win over Barrow AFC in the EFL Cup third round.
On the other hand, Brighton & Hove Albion are yet to lose a game in the 2024/25 season. Fabian Hurzeler has made his mark in the early weeks of the 2024/25 season, even though the results have not always been satisfactory. The Seagulls have failed to win their last three Premier League games, dropping to seventh on the table. However, the signs have been promising thus far this term.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Chelsea eke out a narrow 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion despite being a man down for half the game. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Chelsea manager will be bereft of the services of two first-team players vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Reece James is the most notable absentee, with the Chelsea captain still recovering from a hamstring injury. In addition, Omari Kellyman remains on the sidelines due to a thigh issue. However, Romeo Lavia might be fit enough to feature in the matchday squad on Saturday.
Robert Sanchez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion. The backline should feature Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, and Marc Cucurella.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. Cole Palmer will reprise the no. 10 role, with Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho being the two wide attackers. Finally, Nicolas Jackson will lead the line for Chelsea against Brighton, with Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix options on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Brighton & Hove Albion
Like his counterpart in the Chelsea dugout, Fabian Hurzeler has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge. The Brighton & Hove Albion manager might be without four first-team players on Saturday.
Yasin Ayari has shrugged off an illness, while Brajan Gruda (knock) is close to returning to action. However, Joao Pedro remains on the sidelines, accompanying Matt O’Riley (ankle), James Milner (hamstring), and Solly March (knee) there.
Bart Verbruggen will take his spot between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Chelsea. The backline should feature Joel Veltman, Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Pervis Estupinan.
As for the midfield unit, Jack Hinshelwood should pair up with Carlos Baleba in the double pivot, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Georginio Rutter will likely reprise the no. 10 role, with Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma being the two wide attackers. Finally, Danny Welbeck will spearhead the Brighton attack against Chelsea on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Baleba; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck
Key Stats
- After a run of five Premier League games without a win vs Brighton & Hove Albion (D3 L2), Chelsea did the double over the Seagulls in the 2023/24 season. However, the Seagulls have only lost one of their last four Premier League away games against Chelsea (W1 D2), although it was a 3-2 defeat in the corresponding fixture last season.
- Chelsea have won eight of their ten most recent Premier League games (D1 L1). Since the start of May (when the run began), no team has recouped more Premier League points than the Blues (25).
- Chelsea have won all three Premier League games on the road this season but remain winless at Stamford Bridge (D1 L1). Only in 2001/02 and 2019/20 did they fail to win their first three at home in the competition.
- Brighton & Hove Albion are one of four teams still unbeaten in the Premier League this season coming into Gameweek 6, although their last three matches have ended in a draw (W2). The Seagulls have never gone unbeaten in their first six games at the start of a top-flight campaign.
- Danny Welbeck – who already has three goals and one assist to his name in the Premier League this season – has found the back of the net three times in his last four league games against Chelsea, with each strike coming as a substitute.
Player to Watch
Nicolas Jackson
Nicolas Jackson might be thanking the stars for Chelsea failing to sign a top-class striker in the summer transfer window after pursuing Victor Osimhen for several weeks. That has helped him become an undisputed first-choice starter for the West London club, although his performances have helped his cause.
Jackson has been involved in 13 goals in his last 13 Premier League games for Chelsea (G9 A4), one more than he managed in his first 27 appearances (G9 A3). The Senegalese international has gone from strength to strength with every passing month in 2024, and he has hardly missed a step this term. So, he will be eager to continue his run and prove he does not need a competitor other than Marc Guiu.
Prediction
Chelsea 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Saturday’s match features two teams in contention for a top-four finish, with the race for the fourth spot wide open. While Chelsea might have higher ambitions, they should take one step at a time, even though they are only three points behind Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion will be eager to return to winning ways after three successive draws in the Premier League. Chelsea’s vulnerable backline will present opportunities to the away side, but the Seagulls also have a soft underbelly.
So, there might not be much to separate the two sides, with The Hard Tackle predicting a 2-2 draw that continues Chelsea’s winless start to the 2024/25 Premier League season at Stamford Bridge.