Fresh off their impressive comeback win in the Premier League against West Ham United, Chelsea are set to lock horns with Brighton & Hove Albion this Saturday in the FA Cup 4th Round.
A Pedro Neto strike followed by an own goal from Aaron Wan-Bissaka helped the Blues complete a 2-1 turnround against the Hammers and subsequently leapfrog Manchester City to fourth position in the league table.
Brimming with confidence and form, the Blues now await Brighton, whom they thrashed 4-2 in a league fixture earlier this season. It was a remarkable contest, marked by an absolute goal-fest in the first half and Cole Palmer grabbing the headlines by scoring all of Chelsea’s four goals.
The Seagulls will be looking to even the score, but their current run of form looks worrying. Their inconsistent run was further exacerbated when they received a 7-0 hammering at the hands of Nottingham Forest last week.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea’s squad is more or less unchanged from the game against West Ham. Romeo Lavia, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana remain injured, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable due to a doping suspension.
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However, Enzo Maresca will likely rotate the squad a little against Brighton.
Predicted Chelsea Lineup vs Brighton ( 4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
Filip Jorgensen, who starred in the win against West Ham, is expected to retain his spot in the Chelsea lineup ahead of Robert Sanchez.
Defence
Tosin Adarabioyo should start after impressing against the Hammers, with Levi Colwill being the other centre-back.
At the right-back slot, Reece James could be rested for Malo Gusto, who has the potential to make a big impact. Meanwhile, Marc Cucurella should continue as the primary left-back option in the Chelsea lineup.
Midfield
Maresca is likely to stick with his preferred duo, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, at the heart of the midfield. Talisman Cole Palmer should feature as the No.10 and will be looking to replicate a similar performance he enjoyed against Brighton last time.
Attack
Pedro Neto should be rewarded with a place in the Chelsea lineup after playing an instrumental role in the victory against West Ham while coming off the bench. The Portuguese winger has another great opportunity to showcase his quality.
Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho could start again on the left flank and will be desperate to end his goal drought. At the tip of the attack, Christopher Nkunku, whose future had been subject to much speculation throughout the winter transfer window, might get an opportunity to start at the expense of Nicolas Jackson.
