Mats Wieffer celebrates Danny Welbeck’s second goal to secure a 3-1 during the reverse fixture win in September.
(Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Chelsea and Brighton meet with both teams separated by just a singular point in the tantalising race for European football.
The Blues sit in sixth place on 48 points, but are in a woeful run of form in the Premier League with one win in eight games, while Brighton sit in ninth place, but are currently on a good run of form with one loss in their last seven matches.
When these sides last met in September, Brighton ran out 3-1 winners thanks to three goals in the final 15 minutes.
Enzo Fernandez had given Chelsea the lead in the first half with a header, but Trevoh Chalobah’s red card in the 53rd minute changed the complexion of the game completely.
Danny Welbeck then equalised in the 77th minute, before Maxim De Cuyper’s first Premier League goal gave the Seagulls the lead in the 92nd minute. Welbeck sealed the win in the 100th minute by firing into the roof of the net.
Brighton are unbeaten in their last four games at home against the World Champions, and they know another win will give them a good chance of European football for the second time in their history.
Team News
Brighton
Fabian Hurzeler confirmed that Diego Gomez will miss the Chelsea game following his injury during the first half of the dramatic 2-2 draw against Tottenham on Saturday evening.
Solly March and James Milner also remain out of action for Tuesday’s game on April 22.
A bit of positive news, though, was that Kaoru Mitoma would be ok to play despite suffering some cramps in the Spurs game.
Chelsea
Liam Rosenior admitted he was still unsure whether Joao Pedro would feature against his former club, having missed the 1-0 against Manchester United with an injury.
Estevao would be out of the game after being substituted off with another hamstring issue in the first half of the Manchester United game. Enzo Fernandez was ok to feature despite a calf issue.
Former Brighton defender Levi Colwill is back on grass for Chelsea, having suffered an ACL injury in pre-season, with Rosenior hopeful that he could feature before the end of the season.
Likely line-ups
Brighton
Verbruggen; Wieffer, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Gross, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck.
Chelsea
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Pedro, Neto; Delap.
Key Players
Brighton – Danny Welbeck
Welbeck was the key man in the reverse fixture back in September when he scored twice.
The 35-year-old has secured his best goal return in the Premier League, with 12 goals. It has put him in potential contention for a return to England for the first time since the 2018 World Cup.
When asked last month about his form, Hurzeler was full of praise for the England forward, claiming he did more than put the ball in the net.
“Not only scoring goals, he is in brilliant shape, of course, but also being there as a team-mate, finding good connections between team-mates, creating a good togetherness.
“He is a great connector; he is so valuable on and off the pitch, and he can help every team in the world, including England.”
Chelsea – Joao Pedro
Since signing from Brighton for £60 million in the summer, Joao Pedro has had a brilliant start to his Chelsea career with 19 goal contributions in the Premier League.
If he is fit for the game, then he could most definitely make a difference. Pedro has by far produced Chelsea’s highest xG from a singular player with 13.4, and also has the Blues’ highest goals per 90 stat with 0.52.
22 goals in 48 games is his best ever return in his career, and it is one which has seen him come into the spotlight for a potential key role as Brazil’s number nine at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Match Details
Where is the match taking place?
The match will be taking place at the American Express Stadium in Brighton.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off will take place at 8PM BST.
Where can I watch?
The match will be live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with the build-up beginning at 7:30 PM GMT.