Brighton vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news

Chelsea head to the Amex Stadium on Tuesday night desperately seeking to halt a season-defining collapse.

Liam Rosenior’s side have lost their last four Premier League matches without scoring a single goal. This dismal run has left the Blues seven points adrift of the Champions League qualification spots. Successive wins for Aston Villa and Liverpool at the weekend have further increased the pressure on Chelsea. They must find a way to score and win to remain in the European race.

Brighton, meanwhile, arrive at this fixture as one of the most resilient teams in the division right now. The Seagulls extended their unbeaten run to four games with a late draw against Tottenham on Saturday. Fabian Hürzeler’s men have won their last two league encounters against Chelsea. They sit just one point behind the Blues in ninth place with five games remaining. A victory for the hosts would see them leapfrog Chelsea in the Premier League standings.

Kaoru Mitoma is available despite being substituted against Tottenham with cramps. Captain Lewis Dunk returns to the squad after serving a suspension for yellow cards. That said, Diego Gomez, Solly March, and James Milner will all miss the clash through injury.

Enzo Fernandez is fit to feature despite withdrawing with a calf problem against Manchester United. Joao Pedro faces a late fitness test to determine if he can face his former club. In his absence, Estevao Willian is out with a hamstring injury alongside long-term absentee Reece James.

The Seagulls have lost only once in their last seven matches across all competitions. They have shown great character recently by coming back late in games to secure results. Brighton have opened the scoring in five of their last seven outings. Their home form against Chelsea is strong, with three wins in their last four meetings.

Chelsea are currently enduring a five-match losing streak without scoring if including European competition. They have lost six of their last seven matches during a disastrous spring period. Despite their struggles, eight of their last ten games have finished with over 2.5 goals. Defensively they remain vulnerable, conceding the opening goal in nine of those ten fixtures.

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Ayari, Gross; Minteh, Hinshelwood, Rutter; Welbeck

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Delap

The match is live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Coverage begins at 19:30 BST.

Read more- Chelsea boss Rosenior refuses to give up Champions League hopes

See Also- Giggs advocates potential Palmer move to Manchester United

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