Brighton & Hove Albion lock horns with Chelsea in this huge clash for both teams with regards to their respective objectives this season.
Fabian Hurzeler knows that UEFA Champions League may not be a realistic objective at this period of the season despite Brighton & Hove Albion being closer than ever to those coveted top five spots. However, a place in next season’s UEFA Europa League or Conference League is well within sight, with as many as seven teams angling to finish in sixth or seventh in the standings.
Brighton & Hove Albion have been putting in some strong performances of late, that has helped them climb near those European spots. Since losing to Arsenal at home, the Seagulls have put together a four-game unbeaten run including three consecutive wins over Sunderland, Liverpool, and Burnley, while securing a morale-boosting late draw to break Tottenham hearts on Sunday.
Georginio Rutter stole the show after Xavi Simons had secured a late lead in dramatic fashion. The German attacker had the last laugh, which did create a grim atmosphere inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Taking that single point into account, Hurzeler will be more than confident of heading into the midweek clash against a faltering Chelsea side.
Faltering should be the word to describe Chelsea in their current state of form following another crucial defeat, this time at the hands of top four rivals Manchester United. Bruno Fernandes created the only goal of the game that Matheus Cunha dispatched with style, resulting in a fourth consecutive league defeat for Liam Rosenior’s side.
Four league defeats at a time when the fans want the club to secure a top five place and play in the Champions League next season. From a point when Chelsea were very close to leaders Arsenal in the standings to this uncertain place in the table, Brighton could take their place with a win on Tuesday.
Rosenior needs to get his house in order and arrest this terrible slump, while avoiding a fifth straight defeat in the league. Mathematically, Chelsea are still somewhat in the mix for those coveted top five spots, but fifth-placed Liverpool have an incredible seven-point gap, with the two teams yet to play each other, which makes the need to take maximum points off Brighton more than necessary.
Team News & Tactics
Brighton & Hove Albion
Fabian Hurzeler was dealt a double blow during the draw with Tottenham as Diego Gomez was injured in the first half, while his substitute replacement, Kaoru Mitoma, was also substituted before the final whistle as he went down.
The former is certainly out of contention, while the manager could not definitively pinpoint the Japanese winger’s availability for the game against Chelsea. Beyond that, James Milner, Adam Webster, and Stenos Tzimas are all potentially out of contention for this home game against Chelsea. Hurzeler is not expected to make big changes, but there could be a level of rotation.
For instance, Carlos Baleba could come into the midfield, which could change the shape of a three-man unit with Pascal Gross and Jack Hinshelwood on either side of the Cameroonian international. Assuming Mitoma will be fit to start, Yankuba Minteh will begin the game on the right side, with Rutter likely to lead the line for the Seagulls.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Hinshelwood, Baleba, Gross; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma
Chelsea
Injuries are becoming increasingly difficult for Liam Rosenior to build a sustainable rhythm with this team, as he may have lost two other first-team starters.
A tearful Estevao left the pitch against Manchester United with a hamstring injury, while Enzo Fernandez also suffered a calf problem in the second half. The bigger blow was the pre-kickoff loss of Joao Pedro, with doubts persisting over whether the Brazilian can overcome the problem to face his former side.
Benoit Badiashile, Filip Jorgensen, Reece James, and Levi Colwill are all out alongside Jamie Gittens. Chelsea are not in a great position to make changes, and Rosenior will hope to have Fernandez in the mix, or else Andrey Santos might start alongside Moises Caicedo.
Cole Palmer could assume a role on the right side in the absence of Estevao, especially if Fernandez or Pedro are unavailable. Otherwise, Palmer might keep playing in the attacking midfield role, with Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto occupying the wing roles, while Liam Delap leads the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Hato, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Delap
Key Stats
- Chelsea have failed to score in their last four matches in the Premier League.
- Chelsea have lost their last four matches in the Premier League.
- Brighton & Hove Albion are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games.
- Brighton & Hove Albion have won their last three games against Chelsea across all competitions.
- Danny Welbeck has been involved in seven goals in eight Premier League appearances against Chelsea for Brighton & Hove Albion (5 goals, 2 assists). In his 10 appearances against the Blues before that for Sunderland, Manchester Utd, Arsenal, and Watford, he only scored one goal and didn’t assist any goals.
Player to Watch
Cole Palmer
Once again Palmer was effective but barely did anything to change Chelsea’s fortunes, as many have come forward to question whether he should go with England at the World Cup. Hence, for Chelsea, Liam Rosenior and his own sake, Palmer needs to step up with his displays and help his team hang on to hope of finishing in the top five.
Interestingly, Palmer has five goals in his last three Premier League appearances against Brighton & Hove Albion, with four of those coming in one game at Stamford Bridge in September 2024. He has had 16 shots in his last three games against the Seagulls, making up 43% of Chelsea’s total attempts in those matches.
The Englishman has had good performances against Brighton in the past, and he will hope to bring that up in the game ahead at the Amex. Palmer is the main man at Chelsea, and it is time he starts showcasing his talent in full force, especially with the World Cup on the horizon.
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Chelsea
Chelsea are once again expected to lose a few players to injuries following the loss to Manchester United, and that would disturb the momentum built up by Liam Rosenior. What is their loss could be Brighton & Hove Albion’s gain, as the Blues might end up struggling against the Seagulls, against whom they have lost their last three games across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Brighton are in a fantastic vein of form despite their draw with Tottenham. Fabian Hurzeler is expected to enjoy another duel with a traditional top-six team. With home advantage under their belt, the Seagulls could cause another blow to Chelsea and hand them a fifth straight loss in the Premier League.