Last weekend, Chelsea suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United, while Roberto De Zerbi's team advanced to the Europa League knockout rounds with a 1-0 victory over AEK Athens on Thursday.
Despite Newcastle's injury-depleted lineup, it was Chelsea who faced a tough battle in the North East, conceding goals from Alexander Isak, Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton, and Anthony Gordon. Captain Reece James was also sent off during the match.
Mauricio Pochettino, observing from the stands due to a touchline ban, described it as Chelsea's "worst game" of the season, leaving them stranded in tenth place on the table. The Blues have struggled at home, winning only one of their last 14 Premier League games at Stamford Bridge.
Brighton, on the other hand, managed to maintain a clean sheet in their recent Europa League clash with AEK Athens, with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen making crucial saves.
Joao Pedro's penalty secured a win for Brighton, extending their unbeaten run to seven games, including three consecutive away wins. The Seagulls, currently in eighth place in the Premier League, have consistently found the net in their last 11 games but have struggled to keep a clean sheet.
Although Chelsea won their EFL Cup third-round tie against Brighton in September, they are winless in their last five Premier League meetings with the Seagulls, who secured a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge seven months ago, spoiling Frank Lampard's homecoming.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Shortly after James's dismissal at St James' Park, his fellow full-back Marc Cucurella faced a setback by receiving his fifth yellow card of the season. This milestone meant he would miss a reunion with his former team, Brighton, due to a one-game ban.With two mandatory defensive changes on the horizon, Pochettino is eager to have Malo Gusto back in action, but the Frenchman's chances of playing seem slim due to a tendon injury. Levi Colwill is expected to replace Cucurella, getting the nod over Ian Maatsen.
In the injury department, Wesley Fofana (knee), Lavia (ankle), Trevoh Chalobah (thigh), Carney Chukwuemeka (knee), and Ben Chilwell (thigh) are set to miss out again. However, Romeo Lavia (ankle) and Christopher Nkunku (knee) are nearing competitive debuts.
Moises Caicedo, a former Seagull, is likely to make a midfield return after starting on the bench against Newcastle.
Both De Zerbi and Pochettino can relate to losing their captains to suspension, as Lewis Dunk received two yellow cards in quick succession against Nottingham Forest, resulting in a two-game ban.
Mahmoud Dahoud is also on suspension for the Chelsea clash, serving the second game of a three-game domestic suspension due to a red card against Sheffield United. With an ongoing injury crisis, 18-year-old Jack Hinshelwood may step in at centre-back while James Milner deputizes in a full-back role.
Brighton's misfortunes continue, losing Tariq Lamptey and Ansu Fati to long-term thigh injuries against Nottingham Forest. The duo joins Pervis Estupinan (thigh), Adam Webster (knock), Solly March (knee), Danny Welbeck, and Julio Enciso in the infirmary – with Enciso being the match-winner at Stamford Bridge last season.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea possible starting lineup:Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Colwill; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Veltman, Hinshelwood, Igor, Milner; Gilmour, Gross; Adingra, Pedro, Mitoma; Ferguson
EXPERT PREDICTION
Chelsea 2-2 Brighton
Chelsea has struggled to find their form at home in 2023. However, armed with a range of talented attacking options poised to exploit Brighton's defensive challenges, we believe the Blues have the capability to rectify the errors from last weekend and secure consecutive victories over De Zerbi's team.
