Preview:Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

After both taking down lower-league opposition in the EFL Cup, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion now resume Premier League duties at the former's Stamford Bridge home on Saturday.

While the Blues had to survive a scare to conquer Lincoln City 2-1 in midweek, the sensational Seagulls hit Barnsley for six without reply, thanks in no small part to a new four-goal hero.

Match preview

Snapping a three-game winless sequence in unconvincing style, Chelsea had to do it the hard way against League One Lincoln in the third round of the EFL Cup, having gone into half time with a 1-0 deficit to overturn thanks to Rob Street's opening finish.

However, overturn the deficit they did, as Tyrique George inspired the Blues to a slender fightback win with a venomous 20-yard effort and assist for Facundo Buonanotte, all in the space of two minutes at the start of the second half.

The Stamford Bridge faithful could certainly take issue with the manner of the overall performance, but Enzo Maresca and co should not underestimate the importance of a return to winning ways in the wake of back-to-back domestic and continental setbacks.

Last weekend's chaotic 2-1 loss to Manchester United spelled the end of Chelsea's unbeaten start to the Premier League season; a particularly damning statistic, the 10-man Blues collected more cards (six) than they had shots (five) at a rain-soaked Old Trafford last Sunday.

However, the Club World Cup winners have been rebuilding the Stamford Bridge walls over the past couple of seasons and enter the weekend unbeaten in 12 straight Premier League games at home, while also recording seven clean sheets from their past nine.

While Chelsea laboured to victory at the LNER Stadium, Brighton were in a merciless mood at Barnsley's Oakwell headquarters, where the devastating Diego Gomez produced one of the finest individual EFL Cup performances in recent memory.

The former Inter Miami midfielder scored four of the Seagulls' six efforts in their 6-0 victory - including two thunderbolts from outside the penalty area - as he became the first player to net a quartet of goals in a League Cup away game since Julio Baptista for Arsenal against Liverpool in 2007.

Having also decimated Oxford United by the same scoreline in round two, Brighton set a new record as the first team to ever win successive EFL Cup matches by six goals or more, and the competition has been a welcome distraction amid their indifferent Premier League form thus far.

Indeed, Fabian Hurzeler has overseen just one victory from the Seagulls' opening five top-flight games in 2025-26, and this weekend's visitors threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, a result that left them in the bottom half of the Premier League rankings.

Brighton are also one of four teams yet to pick up a point away from home in the English top-flight season - from an admittedly small sample size - but back-to-back FA Cup and Premier League wins over Chelsea in February 2025 stands the Seagulls in good stead ahead of Saturday's intriguing contest.

Chelsea Premier League form:

Chelsea form (all competitions):

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:

Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):

Team News

Making unwanted history for Chelsea at the Theatre of Dreams, Robert Sanchez's fifth-minute red card was the earliest on record for the Blues in a Premier League game, but the Spaniard served his suspension in midweek and is available for selection again here.

However, the same cannot be said for Cole Palmer - who is now out for two to three weeks with his groin problem - while Tosin Adarabioyo (calf) and Wesley Fofana (concussion) are unavailable too as Maresca grapples with an injury crisis.

Buonanotte would be a like-for-like replacement for Palmer in the number 10 role, but the EFL Cup match-winner is ineligible to face his parent club on Saturday.

In brighter news, Romeo Lavia (unspecified) and Benoit Badiashile (unspecified) might make the squad alongside Marc Guiu, while Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended), Dario Essugo (thigh), Liam Delap (thigh) and Levi Colwill (knee) are still absent.

As for the visitors, Gomez could not have done more to force his way into the first XI for the Premier League fixture, and Brajan Gruda will surely be fearing for his place in the attacking quartet.

On the injury front, Hurzeler should have left-back Maxim De Cuyper and midfielder Mats Wieffer back in contention, but Jack Hinshelwood (foot), Solly March (knee) and Adam Webster (knee) remain on the treatment table.

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Sanchez; James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Estevao, Santos, Neto; Pedro

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, De Cuyper; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Gomez, Mitoma; Rutter

We say: Chelsea 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

Midweek fatigue should not come into play for either side, as Maresca and Hurzeler are sure to make a plethora of changes from their EFL Cup XIs, and we can therefore not look past a first-choice Blues lineup.

Brighton's Barnsley battering comes in stark contrast to their Premier League away form so far this season, while Chelsea have plenty to shout about on home soil, where they have also kept three clean sheets in their last three.

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