Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

One of the most exciting fixtures in the Premier League this weekend pits Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion against each other at Stamford Bridge.

After another big-spending recruitment campaign over the summer, Chelsea finally have something to show for it, boasting ten points after the opening five Premier League matchdays (W3, D1, L1). Those three victories came in their last four league outings, including a thumping 3-0 win against West Ham a week ago. However, new boss Enzo Maresca has yet to taste a top-flight triumph at Stamford Bridge (D1, L1), though his side ran riot in midweek EFL Cup action on this ground, thrashing lower-league Barrow 5-0. Brighton’s upcoming visit doesn’t bode well, considering the Blues have won just one of the last four Premier League H2Hs in West London (D2, L1). Against this backdrop, Chelsea got the better of the Seagulls in all three competitive meetings in 2023/24, each time by a single-goal margin.

However, this is a new-look Brighton side, guided by the joint-youngster manager in Premier League history, Fabian Hurzeler. The 31-year-old coach has enjoyed a phenomenal start in East Sussex, going unbeaten in his first five league matches in charge of the Seagulls (W2, D3), including a 2-1 win against Manchester United in round two. Moreover, Brighton held title-bidding Arsenal to a 1-1 draw on their most recent league travel, though that stalemate forms part of their uninspiring run of only two wins from their last 15 Premier League trips (D6. L7). Neutrals can still be enthusiastic about this clash, especially after Brighton’s two competitive games in the build-up to this fixture saw both teams score at least two goals (W1, D1).