A spot in the FA Cup fifth round will be on the line when Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea face off in the fourth round at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
The 2024/25 FA Cup resumes this week with the fourth round, with the latest phase starting with the game between Manchester United and Leicester City at Old Trafford on Friday. Saturday will feature ten matches, with the action on the day ending with Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton & Hove Albion were unflappable as they cruised to a 4-0 win over Norwich City at Carrow Road in their FA Cup opener. On the other hand, Chelsea qualified for the FA Cup fourth round after beating Morecambe FC 5-0 in the previous stage.
However, the Blues have blown hot and cold in recent weeks, ending 2024 with a three-game winless run before managing only three victories in six outings this year. The inconsistent run has taken Chelsea out of contention for the Premier League title, with the faint hopes ending in the last few matchdays.
On the other hand, Brighton & Hove Albion have been dreadful in their last two outings, failing to find the back of the net while conceding eight goals in their defeats to Everton and Nottingham Forest. The run would have frustrated Fabian Hurzeler, with teams exploiting the weaknesses in his team’s gameplay.
Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea have already clashed once this season, with the Blues coming from a goal down to clinch a 4-2 win thanks to Cole Palmer’s four goals. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Brighton & Hove Albion
Fabian Hurzeler has no new issues that are hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Brighton & Hove Albion manager might be bereft of the services of as many as nine first-team players vs Chelsea on Saturday.
Jason Steele (shoulder), Igor Julio (hamstring), Ferdi Kadioglu (ankle), Solly March (unspecified), James Milner (thigh), and Mats Wieffer (hamstring) remain on the sidelines. Pervis Estupinan, Yasin Ayari, and Carlos Baleba are closing in on returning to action but might not be fit enough to start against Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Hurzeler has a new player in his squad, with Eiran Cashin arriving from Derby County in the winter transfer window. The 23-year-old should accompany Lewis Dunk, Tariq Lamptey, and Joel Veltman in the backline. Bart Verbruggen between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Chelsea on Saturday.
As for the midfield unit, Matt O’Riley and Jack Hinshelwood should pair up in the double pivot, with the duo looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Joao Pedro will reprise the no. 10 role, with Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra being the two wide attackers. Finally, Danny Welbeck should lead the line for Brighton against Chelsea.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Cashin, Lamptey; O’Riley, Hinshelwood; Adingra, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
Chelsea
Unlike his counterpart in the Brighton & Hove Albion dugout, Enzo Maresca has new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium. The Chelsea manager might be without as many as seven first-team players on Saturday.
Maresca has been sweating over Nicolas Jackson (hamstring) and Marc Guiu’s (groin) fitness after the duo picked up minor issues earlier this week against West Ham United. Mykhailo Mudryk continues serving a doping ban, while Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Omari Kellyman, and Romeo Lavia remain on the sidelines due to their hamstring injuries.
Filip Jorgensen will take his spot between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The backline should feature Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, and Marc Cucurella.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the double pivot. Cole Palmer will reprise the no. 10 role, with Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho being the two wide attackers. Finally, Christopher Nkunku will spearhead the Chelsea attack against Brighton this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; Nkunku
Key Stats
- Brighton and Hove Albion have lost their last four games vs Chelsea in all competitions, and the Seagulls have also won only one of their 11 most recent home matches meetings with the Blues (D3 L7).
- Chelsea have progressed from their last two FA Cup ties against Brighton & Hove Albion, doing so in the 1966/67 fourth round (4-0 via a replay) and the 1972/73 third round (2-0).
- Since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017, Brighton & Hove Albion have won five of their six FA Cup fourth-round ties, with the exception being a 3-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur in 2021/22.
- Chelsea have progressed from 25 of their last 27 FA Cup fourth-round clashes, with the exceptions in this run coming against Everton (2010/11) and Bradford City (2014/15).
- Georginio Rutter has been involved in four goals in his two most recent FA Cup outings (G3 A1) despite playing only 101 minutes across these two games.
Player to Watch
Christopher Nkunku
While Danny Welbeck, Kaoru Mitoma, and Cole Palmer were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Christopher Nkunku as our Player to Watch for Saturday’s FA Cup game between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea.
The Frenchman has not been a happy camper at Chelsea this season after becoming a backup player for Enzo Maresca. While a summer exit might be on the cards, the former RB Leipzig star will hope to make a point and stamp his authority, aiming to turn Maresca’s head with a game-changing performance.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 Chelsea
Brighton & Hove Albion might have failed to score in their last two games, but it will be shocking if they do not find a way past Filip Jorgensen. In addition, they will fancy their prospects against a susceptible Chelsea backline. However, the away side should exploit Brighton’s defensive weaknesses.
Christopher Nkunku, in particular, should be on song, guiding Chelsea to another two-goal victory over Brighton. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Enzo Maresca and his charges, with Nkunku and Cole Palmer making their mark in the final third.