Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea will be eager to clinch all three points when they face off at the Amex Stadium on Friday, less than a week after their FA Cup clash.
The 2024/25 Premier League season resumes with Gameweek 25, featuring a rare Friday night fixture. The action in the latest round of matches starts with Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea, with the two clubs facing off less than a week after they locked horns in the FA Cup fourth round.
Brighton & Hove Albion have blown hot and cold after a superb start to life under Fabian Hurzeler. The highly-rated manager displayed promising signs in his early days as the Brighton boss. However, the Seagulls have struggled for consistency in the last few months, as recent defeats to Everton and Nottingham Forest illustrate. However, Brighton bounced back to winning ways with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup fourth round.
Speaking of Chelsea, the Blues have made considerable progress under Enzo Maresca. However, a promising campaign is threatening to go kaput after the recent FA Cup ouster. With seventh-placed Bournemouth only three points behind, the Blues run the risk of plummeting in the standings if they do not perform consistently in the coming months. However, playing only Premier League football should help their cause.
The reverse fixture saw Chelsea come from a goal down to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-1, with Cole Palmer scoring a match-winning haul of four strikes. 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 a new injury concern 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 eight first-team players vs Chelsea on Friday.
Hurzeler is sweating over Lewis Dunk’s fitness after the club captain injured his ribs against Chelsea in the FA Cup fourth round last week. Meanwhile, Mats Wieffer (thigh) requires a late fitness to determine his availability. However, Jason Steele (shoulder), Igor Julio (hamstring), Pervis Estupinan (unspecified), Ferdi Kadioglu (ankle), James Milner (thigh), and Solly March (match fitness) remain on the sidelines.
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 on Friday. The backline should feature Joel Veltman, Jan Paul van Hecke, Adam Webster, and Tariq Lamptey.
As for the midfield unit, Carlos Baleba and Diego Gomez should pair up in the double pivot. Georginio Rutter will likely reprise the no. 10 role, with Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma being the two wide attackers. Finally, Joao Pedro will lead the line for Brighton against Chelsea.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Webster, Lamptey; Baleba, Gomez; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Pedro
Chelsea
Unlike his counterpart in the Brighton & Hove Albion dugout, Enzo Maresca has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the Amex Stadium. The Chelsea manager will be without seven first-team players on Friday.
Maresca has greeted a distressing update on Nicolas Jackson, with the Senegalese international out until April due to a hamstring injury. The former Villarreal attacker accompanies Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Omari Kellyman, and Marc Guiu on the sidelines, with each absentee recovering from a thigh issue. Meanwhile, Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended.
Filip Jorgensen might have become the first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League, and Chelsea will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday. The backline should feature Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, 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 Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke being the two wide attackers. Finally, Christopher Nkunku will likely spearhead the Chelsea attack against Brighton.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madeuke, Palmer, Sancho; Nkunku
Key Stats
- Chelsea are on a three-match winning run vs Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, with the Seagulls’ only victory in nine league meetings at home being a 4-1 triumph in October 2022 (D2 L6). Brighton & Hove Albion have scored in their last seven Premier League games against Chelsea but have only kept one clean sheet in their 15 encounters in the division.
- Brighton & Hove Albion are hoping to avoid losing three successive Premier League games for the first time since a run of six between February and March 2022. The Seagulls have won only two of their last 12 Premier League games (D6 L4).
- Chelsea are on the longest winless streak away from home in the Premier League, going four games without victory since beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 in early December (D2 L2). The Blues have averaged 0.5 goals per match during that run, in contrast to an average of 2.9 goals across their first eight Premier League fixtures on the road this season.
- Three defeats in seven Premier League matches heading into Friday’s clash are as many as Chelsea had in their previous 32 top-flight fixtures.
- Chelsea have gained 13 points from losing positions this season, coming from behind to avoid defeat in seven games.
Player to Watch
Christopher Nkunku
Like last week, we have picked Christopher Nkunku as our Player to Watch, even though Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer were viable candidates for this section. With Nicolas Jackson unavailable until April, Nkunku has the opportunity to make his mark in the final third for six weeks.
Recent reports have claimed that Chelsea might cash in on the French international in the summer transfer window. With the first-choice striker berth not going away from him for some time, the onus is one Nkunku to stamp his authority in the final third for Chelsea, starting with the game vs Brighton & Hove Albion.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Chelsea
With one win each this season, Brighton and Chelsea will play for bragging rights for the 2024/25 season. With the Seagulls slipping in the Premier League standings, a win will give them an outside chance to seal a top-four finish, considering three points on Friday will take them within six points of Chelsea.
With both teams having a soft underbelly, another goal-laden game is on the cards. However, the scoreline from last weekend might reverse, with Chelsea clinching a narrow win, thanks to another Cole Palmer show. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 victory for Enzo Maresca and his charges.
