Chelsea vs Brighton predicted line-ups and team news | OneFootball

In-form Chelsea will be aiming for a fourth win on the bounce when they host unbeaten Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, 28th September.

The game at Stamford Bridge kicks off at 3pm.

Chelsea vs Brighton predicted lineups

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke; Palmer, Sancho, Jackson.

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Baleba; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck.

Chelsea look top-four contenders

Chelsea opted to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino after last season’s sixth-placed finish, replacing the Argentinian with Enzo Maresca, who had just guided Leicester to Championship glory.

Following another hefty summer spending spree, the Blues are targeting a return to the top four this term and they have started the campaign in impressive fashion to suggest they are capable of securing a Champions League place.

Following an expected defeat to champions Manchester City on the opening weekend, Maresca’s men have won away at Wolves, Bournemouth and West Ham, scoring 10 goals in the process, with only a home draw with Crystal Palace checking their progress.

Brighton have also had a good start under their new boss Fabian Hurzeler and the Seagulls are unbeaten after five games.

Wins over Everton and Manchester United have been mixed with draws against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich to leave Brighton seventh in the table, just a point behind Saturday’s opponents.

Chelsea vs Brighton team news

Maresca unsurprisingly made full use of his large squad in Tuesday’s 5-0 victory over Barrow in the Carabao Cup.

The Italian made wholesale changes against the League Two outfit as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku all started.

Nkunku dazzled with a hat-trick and will be pushing to keep his place this weekend, although dislodging Nicolas Jackson, who has four goals already this season, looks unlikely.

Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke and former Brighton star Moises Caicedo are all expected to return with Maresca set to revert to the players he’s used regularly in the Premier League this season.

Malo Gusto may also start but Reece James remains on the sidelines and Romeo Lavia is again a major doubt.

Brighton have injury issues to address ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge with forward Joao Pedro the latest to be ruled out. He joins James Milner, Matt O’Riley and Solly March on the sidelines.

Pedro suffered an ankle injury against Forest last weekend and Hurzerler has confirmed he will miss the Chelsea clash, although he expects to have the Brazilian “back soon”.

Brajan Gruda is in contention to be in Albion’s squad for the first time while Yasin Ayari has recovered from illness.

Danny Welbeck has caught the eye for Brighton in the early weeks of the campaign, scoring three goals in the first five league games, so Evan Ferguson may again have to settle for a place on the bench.