Chelsea return to Premier League action at Stamford Bridge after surviving an EFL Cup scare against Lincoln City. The Blues overturned a half-time deficit to win 2-1, with Tyrique George’s thunderbolt and assist sparking a comeback. That victory brought relief after a chaotic 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, where Chelsea collected more red and yellow cards than shots on target.
Enzo Maresca knows his side must steady itself, especially without Cole Palmer. The young playmaker is set to miss the next two to three weeks with a groin problem. “We decided to protect Cole a little bit,” Maresca admitted. “We will rest him until the international break so he can recover to 100%.” Fans at the Bridge will now look to Estevao or Neto to provide the spark in attack.Maresca also moved to defend Enzo Fernandez, whose form has been questioned after a heavy workload. “It’s impossible to play about 45–60 games at the top level, and it’s normal for performance levels to drop. We are happy with Enzo, and we’re grateful for his consistent availability.”
While Chelsea were scraping past Lincoln, Brighton were busy rewriting the EFL Cup history books. Diego Gomez scored four goals in a 6-0 thrashing of Barnsley, the first player to do so away from home in the competition since 2007. His thunderbolts and composure in front of goal may have made him undroppable for Fabian Hurzeler.
Brighton arrive with just one Premier League win from five, though they can take heart from last season when they beat Chelsea twice in February. Maresca is not underestimating his opposite number either. “I think Fabian is doing a fantastic job,” he said. “They are winning games.”
This will be a cracker on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea vs Brighton: Key Stats
Head-to-head: Chelsea 11 wins, Brighton 5 wins, 5 draws
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 12 home Premier League matches
Brighton have avoided defeat in 10 of their last 12 matches in all competitions
Over 2.5 goals have been scored in Brighton’s last 5 matches in all competitions
Brighton’s away matches average 3.25 goals this season
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1) 🔵
Sanchez; James, Adarabioyo, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Estevao, Santos, Neto; Pedro
Brighton (4-2-3-1) ⚪
Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, De Cuyper; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Gomez, Mitoma; Rutter
Players and Matchups to Watch
🔹 Estevao: The Brazilian teenager is growing into his attacking role
🔹 Kaoru Mitoma: Always a threat in transition, especially away from home
Odds Market on MSport
💵 Brighton to win: 4.32
💵 Draw: 4.18
💵 Over 2.5 Goals: 1.62
💵 Joao Pedro Anytime Goalscorer: 2.45
Chelsea’s defensive record at home collides with Brighton’s attacking flair. Maresca will want a reaction after Old Trafford and lean on Stamford Bridge’s fortress effect. For Hurzeler, it is about building on Gomez’s heroics and snapping their away-day struggles.
