Londoners Chelsea host Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, 27th September, in a high-pressure clash for both sides early in the new Premier League campaign.
Enzo Maresca's side are winless in three games in all competitions, and all of a sudden, the pressure is increasing on the Italian. When Bayern Munich battered Chelsea, they sought comfort in the Premier League by travelling to a struggling Manchester United. The trip to Old Trafford was nothing short of a nightmare as Robert Sanchez saw a red card in the fifth minute after a poor tackle outside the box. To make matters even worse, Cole Palmer had to be taken off with a potential injury. The Red Devils scored twice before eventually losing Casemiro to a red card as well. However, Chelsea weren't able to get anything more than a consolation goal in the second half as they lacked clear chance creation from open play. The Blues sit sixth in the table, but their performances are far from convincing. Maresca would love to dispatch a Brighton side that beat them twice in their last two encounters.
When Brajan Gruda scored an 89th-minute winner against Manchester City in the third gameweek, Fabian Hürzeler would have dreamt of their season kicking on. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and that remains their only victory in the Premier League this season. The Seagulls' defence has been a weak link all season long as Hurzeler made constant changes to his lineup. A mix of injuries, suspensions and lack of match fitness has denied him a chance to name consistent lineups. The result was well evident as the team struggled in the build-up and even in the final third. Conceding twice to Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend to drop a two-goal advantage sums up their season. Hurzeler would hope for some consistency as his side looks to pick up three important points and move away from the relegation zone.
As Chelsea prepares to face Brighton, the match promises to be a captivating encounter filled with strategic plays. Fans interested in placing bets can leverage the BetMGM promo code to gain access to enticing betting promotions, maximizing their potential returns and adding another level of excitement to this Premier League clash.
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How to watch Chelsea vs Brighton online - TV channels & live streams
The 3 pm blackout rule prevents the game from being either aired or streamed in the UK. In the US, the fans can live stream the game on Peacock Premium.
Chelsea Team News
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Maresca recently revealed his plans to rest Palmer for two to three weeks to protect him from further aggravation of his injuries. He knows the importance of his star player and wouldn't be willing to take a risk. Ironically, Chelsea has won all the games they have played without Palmer this season. Facundo Buonanotte, who signed as a Palmer replacement, is ineligible to play against his parent side as Maresca searches for options for the number 10 role. His best option would be to use Enzo Fernandez there and deploy skipper Reece James in the middle of the park to replicate the setup against Bayern Munich. More rotation could be possible on the wings as Alejandro Garnacho pushes for a start. The midweek Carabao Cup clash spares Sanchez's blushes as he hopes to start between the sticks again for the Blues. Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana were also ruled out until the international break.
Predicted lineup: Sanchez; Gusto, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho; Pedro
Brighton Team News
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Hurzeler has no new injury worries with the injured players still in rehab. Danny Welbeck could make a return to the starting lineup as Georginio Rutter isn't leading the line with confidence. Yankuba Minteh's great form and his record against Chelsea could see him get the keys to the attack. Defence has been their biggest issue, and Hurzeler will be determined to protect the backline better. Carlos Baleba's return to form would solve multiple problems for the Seagulls, as the star midfielder had an underwhelming start to the season.
Predicted lineup: Verbruggen; Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Gruda, Mitoma, Welbeck.
The Last Meeting
Brighton were fresh off the back of knocking Chelsea out of the FA Cup in February, as the Blues visited them again in five days. This time, the hosts were even more ruthless. Mitom tormented the Blues with an early goal, and Minteh ran riot later on with a brace. A jaded Chelsea had more than two-thirds of the ball but rarely managed to threaten the hosts. Hurzeler's side safely saw out the game 3-0 to record three points.
Chelsea vs Brighton Key Matchups
Pedro vs Dunk - Joao Pedro hit the ground running at Chelsea with 2 goals and 3 assists in the Premier League already. He would be up against his ex-teammate, Dunk, who takes no prisoners. Pedro's threat from set pieces, counters and dropping deep should be keenly watched by Dunk, who tends to over-commit and get punished.
Cucurella vs Minteh - Minteh had a field day against Chelsea last time out, and the lightning-quick winger is amongst goals this campaign again. His pace and trickery will pose a big challenge to the star left-back, who always prefers venturing forward.
Caicedo vs Gruda - Caicedo stands firmly among the world's elite midfielders after swapping the Amex Stadium for Stamford Bridge. His tackling and game reading improved massively, and he unlocked his goal-scoring potential. He will have a busy day against Gruda, who floats all over the pitch, probing for spaces and making darting runs to sneak into the box.
Chelsea vs Brighton Score Prediction
Brighton will certainly cede possession to the Blues as they aim to play on the break. It would be a big ask of Chelsea to break down any defence without Palmer. Despite Brighton's poor form, we could see them turning things around when they visit London. A high-scoring draw is most likely on the cards.
GOAL's Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Brighton
Chelsea vs Brighton Odds
Currently, the bookmakers predict Chelsea to win the game and have priced them at 1.57. However, a Brighton win is priced at 4.25 and a draw is priced at 4.5
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Chelsea vs Brighton kick-off time
Stamford Bridge will host the game on Saturday, September 27th at 15:00 BST/ 10:00 ET / 16:00 CET
Team news & squads
Chelsea vs Brighton lineups
4-2-3-1
Formation
4-2-3-1
BHACHE-Line up
CHESubstitutes
Manager
E. Maresca
BHA-Line up
BHASubstitutes
Manager
F. Hurzeler
Injuries and Suspended players
Injuries and Suspensions
Injuries and Suspensions
Form
CHE-Form
CHELincoln City
1
-
2
Chelsea
W
Manchester United
2
-
1
Chelsea
L
Bayern Munich
3
-
1
Chelsea
L
Brentford
2
-
2
Chelsea
D
Chelsea
2
-
0
Fulham
W
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 8/8
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 4/5
- Both teams scored
- 4/5
BHA-Form
BHABarnsley
0
-
6
Brighton
W
Brighton
2
-
2
Tottenham
D
Bournemouth
2
-
1
Brighton
L
Brighton
2
-
1
Manchester City
W
Oxford
0
-
6
Brighton
W
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 17/5
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 5/5
- Both teams scored
- 3/5
Head-to-Head Record
CHELast 5 matches
BHA3
Wins
0
Draws
2
Wins
Goals scored
10- Games over 2.5 goals
- 5/5
- Both teams scored
- 4/5