Chelsea gunning for three successive victories as Brighton visits.
Chelsea vs
Brighton & Hove Albion
Revitalized by a commanding cup victory and unbeaten in their last four outings, Chelsea aim to extend their Premier League win streak as they host Brighton, a side missing key player João Pedro but unbeaten in five, for a Saturday showdown at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea
Having swept Barrow aside in a 5-0 EFL Cup third-round win during the midweek fixtures, Chelsea will return to Premier League duties. Christopher Nkunku, the hero from the Bournemouth game, produced the winner with Jadon Sancho's help and bagged a hat-trick in the demolition of the League Two side.
Chelsea will reconvene on home soil for the weekend's clash against the Seagulls, ahead of their Europa Conference League match against Gent. Revitalised by recent victories, the Blues are coming off a 3-0 win over West Ham in last weekend's London derby.
This notable victory helped Chelsea move into 5th place with 10 points, boasting a record of three wins, one draw, and one loss. Unbeaten in four games, having earned three victories in that run (LWDWW), Chelsea is the second-best goal-scoring side behind Manchester City, having scored 11 times.
The Blues will hope to put a few goals past a tricky Brighton. After a double last season, a win here would give Chelsea three successive victories over the Seagulls. However, a poor home record leaves Chelsea winless in two games, with one draw and one loss, which could dampen their celebratory mood.
In terms of tactics, a 4—2—3—1 formation with Nicolas Jackson in attack is expected. Reece James remains ruled out.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion extended their unbeaten run to five games after last weekend’s 2-2 draw against ten-man Nottingham Forest. The 7th-placed team has accumulated 9 points ahead of the weekend’s clash against Chelsea.
The Seagulls boast a strong record on the road, with only one defeat in their last four Premier League away games against Chelsea (1W, 2D, 1L). However, it remains to be seen if Brighton can secure a point at Stamford Bridge, particularly with João Pedro confirmed as absent.
"I'm not sure how long he will be out," head coach Fabian Hürzeler stated. "I think that he is a good healer, and I'm convinced that he will be back soon. But we can't take any risk. We all know that he's a player who can make the difference for us," he added.
The Brazilian has scored in two of his four league appearances this season and his absence will surely be felt in Hürzeler’s attacking line-up. A 4-2-3-1 formation with Danny Welbeck leading the attack is anticipated.
