Who: Chelsea vs Brighton
What: English Premier League
The place: Stamford Bridge, London, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, August 30, at 2pm (13:00 GMT)
Find out how to observe: Al Jazeera Sport will deliver you all of the build-up from 10:00 GMT forward of our reside textual content commentary stream
Click on here to observe our reside protection.
Chelsea and Brighton will look to construct on first rate begins to the season, because the Blues welcome the Seagulls to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea started life underneath new coach Xabi Alonso with a breathless 3-2 victory at West London neighbours Fulham within the Premier League on Monday as their thrilling entrance three of Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer all discovered the online.
They then adopted that up with a stable 2-0 win over Luton within the League Cup on Thursday.
However Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton aspect additionally got here into the sport in a buoyant temper after recording back-to-back 4-0 residence wins over Aston Villa of their Premier League opener final weekend and in opposition to Norwegian aspect Tromso in a Europa Convention League playoff on Thursday.
Brighton will even fancy their probabilities in opposition to Chelsea, having received their final three league video games in opposition to the Blues whereas discovering the online thrice on every event.
Fernandez’s Chelsea future unsure as Alonso seeks dedication
Alonso stated he needs gamers that “really feel a need” to play for Chelsea after Enzo Fernandez was omitted of Thursday’s League Cup win over Luton.
The Argentina midfielder has been linked with a transfer to Manchester Metropolis, however no suitor has but met Chelsea’s reported 120 million-pound ($162m) valuation of Fernandez.
The 25-year-old got here off the bench within the Blues’s 3-2 win over Fulham to present Alonso a profitable begin to his reign within the Premier League on Monday.
Nevertheless, the previous Actual Madrid boss hinted that Fernandez will not be concerned in opposition to Brighton.
“We have to take every thing into consideration: gamers which might be in good moments, gamers that aren’t feeling that vitality to play. For me, it’s essential that they really feel that need to play and to have good preparation,” stated Alonso.
“We talked and we determined that [for Luton] it was higher to not be a part of the squad. He’s a high participant, there’s little question about that.”
Alonso pleased with squad ‘steadiness’ amid busy switch window
Promoting Fernandez would ease the strain on Chelsea to satisfy monetary sustainability laws after one other window of heavy funding within the switch market.
Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Valentin Barco, Pep Chavarria, Danny Welbeck, Emmanuel Emegha and Geovany Quenda have arrived at Stamford Bridge for mixed charges in extra of 300 million kilos ($406m).
Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez can also be set to hitch to interchange the error-prone Robert Sanchez as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper.
There have additionally been quite a lot of departures from the membership in current days, together with strikers Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson.
Alonso, who beforehand stated his bloated squad dimension wanted to be drastically reduce, is happy with the clear-out.
“We’re fairly near the plan that we had. We’ll see the place we end, if it’s absolutely executed or there are some issues nonetheless to be executed,” he added.
“However general the steadiness of what we have now goes to be good. We have to see how the previous couple of days develop.”
Hurzeler warns of Cole Palmer menace
After a poor season, Palmer seemed again to his finest in opposition to Fulham as he thrived whereas roaming in a free function underneath Alonso.
Throughout his pre-match information convention, Hurzeler warned his aspect can not defend in opposition to Palmer on a “one-to-one” foundation and have to be collectively robust to cease the playmaker and Chelsea’s different abilities.
The German coach stated he was completely satisfied along with his personal squad because the switch window is about to shut.
“There’s a minor challenge with small accidents however I’m not right here to complain; I’m right here to search out options along with my crew and that’s what we attempt to do since day one, so sure, I’m pleased with the squad,” he stated.
He stated new signings Jaouen Hadjam and Promise David must be out there for the Chelsea recreation.
I feel they’re two nice gamers. Two nice personalities. They make our squad stronger,” he stated.
Prediction
The Opta supercomputer has made Chelsea the favourites, with a win likelihood of 49.6 %. Brighton got a 26 % likelihood of profitable, whereas a draw was estimated at a 24.4 % probability.
Head-to-head
The 2 golf equipment have confronted one another 28 occasions, with Chelsea profitable 16 video games, Brighton profitable 7, and 5 matches ending as attracts.
Brighton have received the final 4 encounters between the 2 sides, with Chelsea’s final victory within the tie coming again in September 2024.
Final 5 encounters:
- April 21, 2026: Brighton 3-0 Chelsea (Premier League)
- September 27, 2025: Chelsea 1-3 Brighton (Premier League)
- February 14, 2025: Brighton 3-0 Chelsea (Premier League)
- February 08, 2025: Brighton 2-1 Chelsea (FA Cup fourth spherical)
- September 28, 2024: Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (Premier League)
What occurred the final time the 2 golf equipment met?
Brighton’s Ferdi Kadioglu netted an early opener, and Jack Hinshelwood and Danny Welbeck scored within the second half to pile extra distress on floundering Chelsea in a 3-0 Premier League victory again in April.
The end result noticed Brighton climb above their guests to sixth within the desk, with Chelsea within the midst of a dire run of outcomes that may see them miss out on European soccer this season.
Chelsea’s crew information
Marco Palestra stays unavailable with an damage, as is Jordan Henderson, who continues to recuperate from a damaged wrist sustained whereas celebrating England’s last-16 World Cup win over Mexico.
Nevertheless, Alonso stated he was hopeful that key midfielder Moises Caicedo will probably be match sufficient to face his former membership, whereas Levi Colwill and Geovany Quenda are additionally in rivalry to play.
Defender Wesley Fofana returns after serving his suspension for a purple card on the ultimate day of final season at Sunderland.
Alonso instructed that the unsettled Enzo Fernandez might not characteristic as he’s being linked with a transfer to Manchester Metropolis.
Predicted beginning XI:
Sanchez (goalkeeper); Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Gusto, Caicedo, James, Chavarria; Palmer, Rogers; Joao Pedro
Brighton’s crew information
Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma, Stefanos Tzimas and Evan Ferguson are all long-term absentees for Brighton.
Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter are doubts after choosing up knocks. If Rutter is unable to characteristic, then both Charalampos Kostoulas or new mortgage signing Promise David may begin up entrance.
Predicted beginning XI:
Verbruggen (goalkeeper); Kadioglu, Boscagli, Dunk, Vuskovic; Wieffer, Ayari; Gomez, Gross, De Cuyper; Kostoulas
