The Blues hosts Brighton after EFL Cup third-round win.
After a victory in the EFL Cup third round, the Blues host the Seagulls, with Enzo Maresca’s side hoping to end a two-game winless run in the Premier League. Chelsea vs. Brighton kicks off at 15:00 [GMT+1] on Saturday, September 27, at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues head back for Premier League action after their midweek EFL Cup third-round 2-1 win over Lincoln City with a fixture against Brighton now brewing. They sit in 6th place, winless after two games following last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United, where both sides were red carded. Chelsea have historically dominated this fixture at home. In all competitions, they have won nine and lost just one of their 12 previous matches against Brighton at Stamford Bridge, drawing two. Notably, they have claimed victory in each of the last three meetings following a 1-2 defeat in April 2023, highlighting the resilience of their recent record. However, Chelsea’s defensive record has recently shown some vulnerability. The Blues have conceded twice in each of their last two Premier League games — matching the total number of goals they allowed across their previous 15 fixtures combined. The last time they conceded two or more goals in three consecutive games was in March and April 2024. That would be something they would be keen to avoid on Saturday while counting on their possession-orientated style of play. This season, 91.8% of their passes in the Premier League have been short passes, the highest ratio of any team. Enzo Maresca would be hoping the strategy can upset Brighton when he deploys the 4—2—3—1 formation. João Pedro is expected to lead Chelsea’s attack.
The Seagulls return after the 6-0 thrashing of Barnsley in Tuesday’s EFL Cup clash. They make preparations for Saturday’s clash while sitting in 14th place. However, for Brighton [DLWLD], they have struggled for clean sheets, keeping just one in their last 17 Premier League matches, a 2-0 win over Wolves in May. Since the start of the 2023-24 season, only West Ham and Wolves have kept fewer clean sheets than the Seagulls, underlining their ongoing defensive challenges. Brighton, however, have had success intermittently in league meetings. They have won three of their last six league encounters with Chelsea after failing to secure a single victory in their first 14 matches against the Blues. This shows the Seagulls are capable of pulling off results, even if they aren't favourites. They would be keen to do just that this weekend when they appear with the 4—2—3—1 formation having Rutter in attack.