[Albion] Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Chelsea v Albion

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Saturday 28th September 2024
Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Referee: Peter Bankes
Assistants: Edward Smart, Nick Greenhaigh
Fourth Official: David Webb
VAR: Michael Oliver
Additional VAR: Natalie Aspinall
​

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea remain without Reece James, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, though Romeo Lavia is available.

Head coach Enzo Maresca has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday's game.

Brighton forward Joao Pedro is unlikely to feature after struggling with an injury sustained against Nottingham Forest.

Brajan Gruda could make his first appearance since his summer move from Mainz, whilst Yasin Ayari is back in contention after a bout of illness.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Chelsea won all three competitive games versus Brighton last season, each by a single-goal margin.
• The Blues won both Premier League meetings in 2023-24 despite having a player sent off in each match: Conor Gallagher at Stamford Bridge and Reece James at Amex Stadium.
• Brighton & Hove Albion have won just one of their 11 competitive away fixtures against Chelsea (D2, L8), a 2-1 Premier League triumph on 15 April 2023.

Chelsea

• Chelsea have only lost two of their last 20 league matches (W12, D6): 5-0 at Arsenal on 23 April and 2-0 at home against Manchester City in August.
• Enzo Maresca’s side can keep three consecutive clean sheets in the top flight for the first time since January to February 2023 under Graham Potter.
• Nicolas Jackson has been directly involved in six goals in Chelsea's last four Premier League matches, scoring four and assisting two. Only Erling Haaland (10 goals) and Mohamed Salah (three goals, four assists) have higher totals this season.
• Jadon Sancho can become the third player to register an assist in each of his first three Premier League appearances for Chelsea, after Eden Hazard (2012) and Cesc Fabregas (2014).

Albion

• Brighton (W2, D3) are on their longest unbeaten run from the beginning of a top-flight season. It is their best start since avoiding defeat in each of their opening 21 Championship games in 2015-16.
• The Seagulls are winless in eight Premier League visits to the capital (D4, L4) since a 3-0 victory at Arsenal in May 2023.
• Brighton have drawn each of their last three top-flight games – it’s their seventh run of three consecutive draws in the competition, while the Seagulls last drew four straight league fixtures in October 2014.
• Danny Welbeck - who has three goals and one assist to his name in the Premier League this term - has netted three in his last four league appearances against Chelsea, with all three of these strikes coming as a substitute.

Fabian Hürzeler's Chelsea Press Conference

 

[The Maharajah of Sydney]

A bit of unfair bias going on with that Fourth Official

 

[B-right-on]

Unfortunately I think Fab is in for his first defeat as the Brighton manager.

I'd love to be wrong but the Chavs seem to have got a half decent team together. It's only taken £1,150,000,000.00 and 39 signings to get there.

 

[Justice]

Surely we need to see Ferdi in action today to get some pace into the defence. Don’t understand why we spend record amounts on players who then sit out the games on the bench. Most other teams big money signings are straight in doing the business.

 

[Berty23]

I am worried about this one. Jackson will run riot with the high line and palmer picking him out. I just hope he has one of his days where he finishes like a clown!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I've got a feeling about this one

 

[Flounce]

I won’t be at Stamford Bridge so please give the 3 ex Albion players an afternoon of very loud boos from me, whilst winning would make it a special afternoon

Fingers crossed that those going enjoy themselves

 

[Nottseagull]

 

[AmexRuislip]

Morning all, hoping for a win, but another draw will suffice.

 

[Zeberdi]

I am worried about this one. Jackson will run riot with the high line and palmer picking him out. I just hope he has one of his days where he finishes like a clown!

Countering their pace and their long passes as you say is going to be a challenge. FH has been playing quite a high defensive block too (just inside our half) so we will probably want to drop back lower and pack out the midfield more than we have been doing. Mitoma will be shut down and we’ll need to watch our lack of pace on the right back. Our best chance of scoring may be from set pieces in this one. Chelsea are ripping so far this season.

If we can take a point at Stamford Bridge the way Chelsea is performing, I’ll not complain.

 

[Goldstone1976]

were loose

 

[Greg Bobkin]

were loose

Defiantly.

This next game could be season-defining.

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[Swegulls]

1-1, another goal by Welbz. A great Saturday ahead!

 

[Dick Head]

So excited

were loose

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Some of these are familiar

 

[El Turi]

We need to target Cucurella and Sanchez. Although they have slightly improved recently, we know they have a lot of weaknesses. Also, get Baleba running at Caicedo who would have been sent off a lot last season for two yellows if referees had been stronger.

 

[Mustafa II]

Nervous about this one.

Want to beat Chelsea because it's Chelsea, as much as I want the three points.

But I think they're stronger than last season, with their heads held up higher. I'm fearing defeat and would take a point if offered it right now.

However, we are also stronger than last season... I have no doubt that we will play stunning football at times and create lots of chances - the big question is how many times we'll hit the back of the net.

Can see both teams scoring today, should be a great match to be fair. COYS.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Just leaving for the Amex.

 

[Mortdecai]