Brighton vs Chelsea

A rejuvenated Chelsea team, eyeing a return to European football, travels to face Brighton & Hove Albion, who have seen their own European hopes fade, in Wednesday's Premier League clash.

Chelsea recently edged Nottingham Forest 3-2 in a thrilling encounter, while Brighton settled for a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United.

Brighton has struggled offensively, failing to score more than once in their last 14 matches across all competitions. In their latest outing, Joel Veltman opened the scoring at St James' Park before being forced off with an injury. Newcastle equalized just before halftime, exploiting the gap left by Veltman's substitution, with Sean Longstaff netting the final goal of the match.

The second half saw a lackluster performance from both teams in the attacking third. While Brighton hindered Newcastle's European ambitions, the Seagulls, now 10th in the table, have little to play for. They can finish no higher than eighth, dependent on their performance against Manchester United on the final day. It’s been nearly three months since Brighton scored multiple goals in a single match.

There are questions about whether Roberto De Zerbi will remain at Brighton next season, with Bayern Munich reportedly interested in him. For now, De Zerbi aims to secure back-to-back home wins in the league for the first time since September. Chelsea, meanwhile, seeks consecutive Premier League away victories for the first time in 2024, following their dramatic win at Nottingham Forest.

In that match, Callum Hudson-Odoi almost had the final say against his former club, but Raheem Sterling’s goal and Nicolas Jackson’s 14th Premier League goal completed a remarkable comeback for Chelsea. The victory marked Chelsea’s third straight Premier League win, putting them in contention for seventh place, trailing Newcastle only on goal difference.

If Manchester United win the FA Cup, they could derail Chelsea’s European dreams by finishing eighth. Nevertheless, optimism is growing under Mauricio Pochettino, whose job security has strengthened in recent weeks.

Chelsea’s defensive record away from home remains a concern, with no clean sheets in their last 15 Premier League away games. They also suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat in this fixture last season, although they won 3-2 at Stamford Bridge in December. Brighton’s Veltman, who had to withdraw from the Newcastle match, will not play on Wednesday. Julio Enciso is also out, but Joao Pedro is expected to return.

Brighton has several other injuries: Solly March (knee), Kaoru Mitoma (back), Jack Hinshelwood (foot), Pervis Estupinan (ankle), James Milner (thigh), Evan Ferguson (ankle), and Jan Paul van Hecke (thigh). Lamptey is likely to start against his former club, Chelsea, where he spent 12 years.

Chelsea, recovering from their injury crisis, had a more experienced bench against Forest, with Lesley Ugochukwu and Reece James returning. Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are also back in training. The Blues are still without Robert Sanchez (illness), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Wesley Fofana (knee), and Enzo Fernandez (hernia). Pochettino may rotate his squad, with Sterling, Malo Gusto, and Axel Disasi pushing for starts, although he may not risk starting the injury-prone James.

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Lamptey, Dunk, Webster, Igor; Gilmour, Gross; Adingra, Pedro, Fati; Welbeck

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher; Sterling, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson