Chelsea suffered a setback in their last league game, going down 4-1 to Newcastle United, making their position in the table look a bit awkward. The Blues are currently tenth in the league and have only won one of their last five league games. Considering that they were only twelfth last season, in addition to investing a massive amount of over €1 billion since the takeover, fans and management alike are hoping that Chelsea can improve this season and at least move into the top half of the table.
Chelsea's players have had a decent season. Attacker Nicholas Jackson has scored six goals in 10 league starts, while winger Raheem Sterling has been involved in six goals in 12 league starts. Although right-back Reece James was red-carded in the second half of their last game, the team is still banking on a bounce back at home.
Meanwhile, this season has also shown a good competitiveness. They are currently eighth in the league, six points ahead of Chelsea. However, they have also won just one of their last five league games and coach Roberto De Zerbi is equally desperate to lead his side back to winning ways. Irish striker Evan Ferguson has scored six goals in eight league starts, while Japanese winger Kaoru Mitsuka has been involved in six goals in 10 league starts.
A few years ago, it would have been hard to imagine Brighton being able to put up a fight against a big club like Chelsea, but now, it wouldn't be surprising if they were able to win. Considering Chelsea's tendency to invest high prices in Brighton players, this match could also be a litmus test for selecting new multi-million euro players, especially now that the January transfer window is approaching.
Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino is feeling the pressure. Despite Chelsea backing their coach in the transfer market, a poor start to the season hasn't helped Pochettino's situation. For this match prediction, while Chelsea may still be looking for a way to recover this season, they still have a strong squad and the advantage of playing at home. Expect Chelsea to give it their all to at least remain undefeated.
