Chelsea face Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after both sides made a winning start to the new Premier League season.
Chelsea beat Fulham 3-2 in Xabi Alonso’s first league game in charge. João Pedro scored inside the opening minute, while Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer also found the net.
Brighton went one better with a 4-0 win over Aston Villa. Jack Hinshelwood scored twice as Fabian Hürzeler’s side made a statement on the opening weekend.
The recent record between these sides is a concern for Chelsea. Brighton have won the last four meetings, including a 3-0 victory in April and a 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge last September.
Chelsea will hope the new season brings a different result.
They have already shown plenty of attacking quality, but Brighton should provide a much tougher test than Fulham.
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What are the best picks for Chelsea vs Brighton?
Chelsea to win
Chelsea made a strong start under Alonso and have already shown how much attacking quality they have.
The Blues scored three times against Fulham and could have converted more from their 18 shots.
João Pedro opened the scoring, Rogers also found the net on his Debut, while Palmer added the third after setting up João Pedro for the opener.
That front three gives Chelsea plenty of options. Palmer can find space between the lines, Rogers offers power from the left and João Pedro gives a player capable of converting chances that fall his way.
Brighton’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa deserves plenty of credit. However, Chelsea will have much more control of the ball at Stamford Bridge.
The recent head-to-head record makes this a risky pick, but Chelsea have enough quality to finally end their losing run against Brighton.
Over 3.5 goals
There is plenty to like about the goals market.
Chelsea scored three against Fulham, while Brighton scored four against Villa. Both sides have attacking players who can create chances without needing much space.
Chelsea’s first game also showed that Alonso’s side can leave openings at the other end. Fulham scored twice and had chances to make the game even closer.
Brighton were ruthless against Villa. They scored all four goals before half-time and finished with 3.77 expected goals. Villa also had no shots on target.
The recent meetings also point towards another game with goals. All five of the last five meetings between these sides went over 2.5 goals, while the last three produced at least four goals.
Both teams to score
This pick fits well with the over 3.5 goals selection.
Hürzeler’s side finished with 78% possession in their Conference League win over Tromsø before the Villa performance, so they should not be afraid to take the game to Chelsea.
Chelsea should score at Stamford Bridge. Brighton have scored four already and have beaten Chelsea in each of their last four meetings.
Both teams finding the net looks a strong option.
Where can I watch Chelsea vs Brighton?
Chelsea vs Brighton kicks off at 2:00 PM BST on Sunday, August 30 at Stamford Bridge.
The game will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports.
For viewers in the United States, the match kicks off at 9:00 AM ET and will be available on NBC and Peacock.
What have the managers said?
Xabi Alonso:
Alonso is happy with the progress his new-look Chelsea side have made, but he knows there is still plenty to improve.
He has been particularly impressed by Josh Acheampong, who has featured early in the season and could start again against Brighton.
“He has a lot of qualities for the modern defender.”
Alonso also provided an update on Moisés Caicedo ahead of the game.
“He is hopefully training on Friday. We are hopeful he can be involved.”
Fabian Hürzeler:
Hürzeler has been pleased with Brighton’s start, although he remains cautious over the fitness of several players.
Georginio Rutter is one of those being monitored after missing the trip to Tromsø.
“It’s not a big issue, but therefore we have to go day by day.”
The Brighton boss will hope Rutter can recover in time for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
What is Chelsea’s predicted team?
(3-4-2-1) Sanchez – Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill – Gusto, James, Lavia, Hato – Palmer, Rogers – Pedro.
Doubts: Caicedo, Fernandez, Palestra.
Injured: Henderson
What is Brighton’s predicted team?
(4-2-3-1) Verbruggen – Wieffer, Vuskovic, Dunk, Boscagli – Gross, Ayari – Gomez, Struijk, De Cuyper – Rutter.
Injured: Mitoma, Hinshelwood, Ferguson, Tzimas, Minteh.
Score prediction: Chelsea 3-1 Brighton
This could be one of the more entertaining games of the weekend.
Chelsea have already shown how dangerous they can be under Alonso, while Brighton could hardly have made a better start after beating Villa 4-0.
The recent head-to-head record gives Brighton plenty of confidence, but Chelsea’s attacking quality should make the difference at Stamford Bridge.
Neither defence looks certain to keep a clean sheet, so another high-scoring meeting is on the cards.
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