Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea Prediction: Match Preview and Analysis - Premier League

The 25th round of the Premier League kicks off with an exciting matchup between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea, just one week after their FA Cup clash. Last weekend, Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton came out on top, overturning Chelsea’s early lead thanks to goals from Rutter and Mitoma. Now, Enzo Maresca’s side has the chance to redeem itself in a crucial league fixture for both teams. Brighton’s FA Cup victory helped them recover from a disastrous 7-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in the previous Premier League round. That loss marked their second consecutive league defeat after falling to Everton. Currently mid-table, Brighton still harbors hopes of securing a European spot, and a win over Chelsea would keep those dreams alive. Meanwhile, Chelsea desperately needs points to close the gap on third-placed Nottingham Forest and, more importantly, to maintain their hold on fourth place, with Manchester City, Newcastle, and Bournemouth ready to capitalize on any misstep from the Blues.

Brighton & Hove Albion's shape and Key Statistics

If Brighton loses against Chelsea, they risk being left without any real league objectives by mid-February. The Seagulls currently sit 10th in the table, trailing the sixth-place Conference League spot by seven points. Their league record stands at 8 wins, 6 losses, and 10 draws, with an average of 1.46 goals scored and 1.58 conceded per match.

To stay in contention, Brighton must reverse their recent league form, as they have suffered two consecutive defeats. However, before these losses, they had enjoyed a seven-game unbeaten streak, with 3 wins and 4 draws. Notably, their last home victory in the Premier League dates back to November 9th, when they secured a 2-1 win over Manchester City.

Chelsea's shape and Key Statistics

Chelsea enters this match eager for revenge after their FA Cup elimination. Despite that setback, Enzo Maresca’s team has been in decent form in the Premier League, registering 2 wins, 2 draws, and just 1 loss (away at Manchester City) in their last five league matches. They have averaged 1.6 goals scored and conceded per game.

Although Chelsea’s fourth-place position aligns with pre-season expectations, they have not won an away league match since December 8th, when they triumphed 4-3 against Tottenham. Overall, the Blues have secured 6 wins, 3 draws, and 3 defeats away from Stamford Bridge, scoring an average of 2.1 goals per match while conceding just 1.3.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea Prediction and Tactical Overview

In the last five meetings between these two teams, Chelsea has won four times, with Brighton’s sole victory coming in last weekend’s FA Cup encounter. Four of these past five clashes saw both teams scoring at least once, delivering exciting, end-to-end matches.

The reverse fixture in September saw Chelsea dominate with a 4-2 home win, with Cole Palmer netting all four goals. The English forward remains the top scorer in head-to-head matches between these sides, having scored five goals against Brighton.

Given the historical trends, the BetMines algorithm predicts a match where both teams are likely to score.

• The BetMines algorithm prediction for the Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea  match predicts that both teams will score at least one goal at 65%
• The BetMines algorithm prediction for the Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea  match predicts that at least one of the two teams will not score any goals at 35%.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea Predicted Lineups

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-1-4-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Lamptey; Hinshelwood; Minteh, Rutter, Joao Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck. Coach: Hürzeler.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Robert Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Madueke, Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho; Jackson. Coach: Maresca.