After their FA Cup encounter, Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea will meet again this Friday in a Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium, with the Blues seeking revenge following a narrow loss in their last meeting.
Brighton heads into this fixture with a boosted confidence after their 2-1 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup. This victory broke a four-game losing streak in competitive matches against the Blues and came at an opportune moment. Prior to that match, Brighton was struggling in the Premier League, having lost six out of their last twelve games, including a damaging 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest. However, they were able to recover from an early mistake, where goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen gifted Chelsea the lead. Fortunately, Georginio Rutter quickly equalized, and Kaoru Mitoma’s second-half goal sealed the win.
Brighton’s form in the league has been inconsistent recently, with just two wins in their last twelve Premier League matches. Despite a solid start to the season, they have been unable to maintain that momentum. The Seagulls will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing run of home league matches, having failed to win any of their last five league games at the Amex since a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in November.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will be focusing on improving their Premier League and Conference League campaigns following their disappointing FA Cup exit. Chelsea currently occupies fourth place in the league but are just two points ahead of Manchester City and Newcastle United, making this match crucial in their bid to secure a top-four finish and Champions League qualification. However, Chelsea has struggled on the road, failing to win any of their last four Premier League away matches. Their last away win was a thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham in early December.
The Blues will also be looking to avenge their FA Cup loss to Brighton, where they were unable to capitalize on their early lead. Despite that setback, Chelsea’s record against Brighton in the Premier League has been relatively strong, including a 2-1 victory at the Amex Stadium in May 2024 and a 4-2 win in the reverse fixture this season, where Cole Palmer scored all four of Chelsea’s goals.
Brighton will be without a number of key players for this match. Jason Steele, Ferdi Kadioglu, Igor Julio, James Milner, and Solly March are all sidelined due to injury, though March is nearing a return. Pervis Estupinan and Mats Wieffer are also doubtful for the game, and Lewis Dunk will be assessed after sustaining a rib injury in the FA Cup tie. If Dunk is unavailable, Adam Webster could step in. Diego Gomez, who impressed in his substitute appearance last weekend, is pushing for his first start, and Joao Pedro could make his way back into the lineup.
Chelsea has its own injury concerns, with Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Omari Kellyman, and Marc Guiu all unavailable. Mykhaylo Mudryk is serving a provisional doping ban, which means he will miss out. However, Reece James is set to return to the side after being rested in the FA Cup match to manage his workload. Chelsea will also be without striker Nicolas Jackson, who will miss the next six weeks with a hamstring injury. The Blues’ bench options are strong, with Filip Jorgensen, Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez, and Noni Madueke all pushing for starting roles after being dropped to the bench last weekend.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Webster, Lamptey; Baleba, Gomez; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Pedro
Chelsea possible starting lineup: Jorgensen; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Nkunku
This fixture promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams needing a win to continue their respective ambitions for the season. Brighton will aim to extend their positive momentum, while Chelsea will look to put their FA Cup disappointment behind them and continue their push for the top four.
