Brighton & Hove Albion host Chelsea in the Premier League on Friday evening, with the two sides set to meet at the American Express Stadium for the second time in the space of a week.
The visitors will be looking to avenge their FA Cup exit at the weekend, crashing out of the competition at the fourth round stage as a result of a 2-1 defeat.
Having suffered a 7-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest in their last Premier League outing, the Seagulls will be hoping to get their European push back on track, and they would move up to eighth with a victory.
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Brighton v Chelsea team news
Brighton
Brighton currently have a number of players on the sidelines, with Igor Julio, Pervis Estupinan and James Milner expected to be ruled out for a considerable period, while Jason Steele is also unavailable after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Solly March has missed the last three matches and is set to miss out again, with the 30-year-old undergoing rehabilitation, while Lewis Dunk is doubtful.
Chelsea
The Blues also have some notable absentees, with Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia and Mykhailo Mudryk unlikely to be available for selection anytime soon.
Before the trip to Brighton last week, Enzo Maresca confirmed Marc Guiu could be ruled out for months, in what could be a real blow, whereas Nicolas Jackson is also sidelined.
Reece James wasn’t selected last weekend, but Maresca has stated it was a pre-planned decision and the captain could return this weekend.
Where to watch Brighton v Chelsea on TV
Brighton vs Chelsea has been selected for live TV coverage. The fixture, which is scheduled to kick-off at 8pm (GMT) on Friday 14th February, will be shown on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event in the UK.
In the USA, viewers can tune in on NBC.
Brighton v Chelsea referee and VAR
The Premier League have appointed Chris Kavanagh as the referee for this Friday’s clash, with the 39-year-old set to be supported by assistants Lee Betts and Mark Scholes, while Stuart Attwell is the fourth official.
Michael Oliver has been named as the Video Assistant Referee, with the Assistant Video Assistant Referee being named as Ian Hussin.
|
Chris Kavanagh record |
Chelsea |
Brighton |
|---|---|---|
|
Games |
18 |
18 |
|
Record |
11W, 3D, 4L |
5W, 5D, 8L |
|
Cards received |
32 Yellow, 0 Red |
40 Yellow, 0 Red |
|
Cards to opponents |
42 Yellow, 1 Red |
31 Yellow, 2 Red |
|
Penalties for/against |
5/2 |
5/6 |
Brighton v Chelsea form
Brighton
Brighton’s Premier League form has been inconsistent, defeating Ipswich Town and Manchester United on the road since the turn of the year, before falling to consecutive defeats against Everton and Nottingham Forest.
The 7-0 loss against Forest is likely to be a cause for particular concern, but Fabian Hurzeler’s side will take confidence from the fact they beat Friday’s opponents 2-1 in the FA Cup last time out.
|
Brighton’s last five results (all competitions) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Date |
Opponent |
Competition |
Result |
|
Sat 8th Feb |
Chelsea |
FA Cup |
W 2-1 |
|
Sat 1st Feb |
Nottingham Forest (a) |
Premier League |
L 7-0 |
|
Sat 25th Jan |
Everton (h) |
Premier League |
L 0-1 |
|
Sun 19th Jan |
Man Utd (a) |
Premier League |
W 1-3 |
|
Thu 16th Jan |
Ipswich (a) |
Premier League |
W 0-2 |
Chelsea
Maresca insisted his side were not a part of the Premier League title race earlier this season, and the Blues’ form since the end of 2024 means that Champions League qualification is a more realistic target.
A record of two wins in their last three games keeps Chelsea in the top four, producing a second-half comeback to defeat West Ham United 2-1 in their last Premier League match.
|
Chelsea’s last five results (all competitions) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Date |
Opponent |
Competition |
Result |
|
Sat 8th Feb |
Brighton (a) |
FA Cup |
L 2-1 |
|
Mon 3rd Feb |
West Ham (h) |
Premier League |
W 2-1 |
|
Sat 25th Jan |
Man City (a) |
Premier League |
L 3-1 |
|
Mon 20th Jan |
Wolves (h) |
Premier League |
W 3-1 |
|
Tue 14th Jan |
Bournemouth (h) |
Premier League |
D 2-2 |
Brighton v Chelsea head-to-head
Brighton and Chelsea have met 25 times in total, with the majority of their clashes coming since the Seagulls’ promotion to the Premier League in 2017.
The Blues have a very strong record against Friday’s hosts, although Hurzeler’s side managed to notch a fourth victory against the six-time English champions on Saturday.
|
Brighton v Chelsea head-to-head (all competitions) |
|
|---|---|
|
Brighton wins |
4 |
|
Draws |
5 |
|
Chelsea wins |
16 |
