The Blues host The Seagulls in the 3rd round of the EFL Cup this Wednesday.
In the world of football, surprises are part and parcel of the game. One moment, a team is soaring high, and the next, they find themselves struggling to keep up.
Chelsea, the 2020-21 Champions League winners, have experienced such a rollercoaster ride in the Premier League this season.
The Blues’ season took a downward spiral recently with a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa. This loss was a hard pill to swallow for Chelsea fans, especially after Malo Gusto’s 58th-minute red card and Ollie Watkins’s 73rd-minute winner.
In the 2023-24 season, Chelsea‘s Premier League campaign has been far from smooth. With just one victory in six games and a mere five goals scored, they find themselves in 14th place, a staggering 10 points behind the third-placed Brighton. To make matters worse, they are only four points clear of the relegation zone and already nine points away from the coveted top-four spot.
Their EFL Cup journey began with an unconvincing victory over AFC Wimbledon, where they had to come from behind to secure a narrow 2-1 win. Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea’s manager, will be under pressure to deliver an improved performance on Wednesday.
On the flip side, Brighton & Hove Albion have started the season in an eye-catching fashion. They’ve secured five wins out of six Premier League matches, keeping them well within touching distance of giants like Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the standings.
Their recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular. Following successive 3-1 victories over Newcastle United and Manchester United, Roberto De Zerbi’s side recorded a 3-2 loss against AEK Athens in the Europa League. However, they swiftly returned to their winning ways with a 3-1 triumph over Bournemouth.
One particular hallmark of Brighton’s success this season has been their attacking prowess. Thanks to De Zerbi’s innovative approach, they are the top scorers in the Premier League, netting an impressive 18 goals across their opening six outings. This formidable record makes them confident in their ability to add to Chelsea’s woes.
If Raheem Sterling is expected to play a similar role in 28th of September at Stamford Bridge, he will enter the game having scored four goals in his last six Premier League appearances against Brighton & Hove Albion. Isolated as Lampard’s 4-3-3’striker’ in isolation. Not his best hour (or 55 minutes, before being replaced), but neither did the long balls up to him.
Ansu Fati probably had no idea that his next appearance would be for Brighton & Hove Albion when he made his last game in European club play for Barcelona against Manchester United in February.
During Barcelona‘s 4-3 overall elimination from the Europa League play-off stage at Old Trafford seven months ago, Fati came off the bench in the 75th minute of a 2-1 defeat. This result advanced United into the round of 16 and sent Barca home.
Chelsea defeated Wimbledon at Stamford Bridge to advance to the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Brighton, a team that plays European football, will be participating in the competition. Since 2020, the Seagulls have not lost to the Blues.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, their ambitious squad revamp has been marred by an injury crisis. A host of key players, including Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Carney Chukwuemeka, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, and Marcus Bettinelli, are all sidelined due to injuries. This leaves Pochettino with limited options for the EFL Cup clash.
Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is expected to make his debut, meaning that Robert Sanchez will not face his former club this Wednesday. Additionally, Cole Palmer and Ben Chilwell are likely to be restored to the starting XI to bolster the team’s chances.
On the Brighton side, injured players Julio Enciso and Jakub Moder will remain sidelined, while James Milner and Pascal Gross are doubtful for the midweek trip to Stamford Bridge. De Zerbi has shown that he’s not afraid to make multiple changes to his starting XI, which could result in a fresh-look Brighton side, with players like Jason Steele, Adama Lallana, Solly March, Ansu Fati, and Joao Pedro pushing for a starting spot.
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