Brighton v Chelsea LIVE: Woeful Blues heading for fifth Premier League defeat in a row as hosts double lead | OneFootball

Jack Hinshelwood scores Brighton's second (Reuters)

Chelsea are without both Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro as Liam Rosenior’s side bid to end their losing Premier League run against Brighton and keep their faint hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League alive.

Rosenior is under pressure after a run of four straight top-flight defeats, including a 1-0 reverse at the hands of Manchester United at Stamford Bridge last time out, and he will be without two of his key attackers in Palmer and Pedro for the trip to in-form Brighton.

The Seagulls can go above Chelsea with a win victory tonight and Fabian Hurzeler’s side remain in the hunt for European football themselves this season, in what is turning into a tightly packed race for sixth place.

Rosenior confirmed that Palmer has been rested ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds after feeling discomfort in his hamstring. “Cole's had some tightness so he's going to be out for this game and see how he moves on for this FA Cup semi-final,” Rosenior said.