Chelsea suffered their second defeat against Brighton in the space of a week as they were beaten 3-0 at the Amex Stadium. A week on from their FA Cup exit, the Blues endured more misery on the south coast, failing to register a single shot on target in a terrible display, one that extends their winless run on the road to six matches.
Kaoru Mitoma gave Brighton the lead in stunning fashion, bringing the ball down with an extraordinary first touch before bending a finish into the bottom corner, and Yankuba Minteh added a second before the break. Minteh doubled his own personal tally in the second-half, drilling past Filip Jorgensen after some more woeful Chelsea defending, and the visitors were fortunate to only concede three.
A miserable south-coast outing for fourth-placed Chelsea was compounded by an early injury for Noni Madueke and they have now taken just nine points from their last nine fixtures after failing to register an attempt on target. Rampant Brighton, who were hammered 7-0 at Nottingham Forest just under a fortnight ago, climb to eighth in the table thanks to a first league success at home since early November
Brighton vs Chelsea latest news
- GOAL! Second for Minteh as Brighton cruise
- GOAL! Minteh doubles lead for Brighton
- GOAL! Mitoma stunner opens scoring
FT: Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:56 , Matt VerriMore misery on the south coast for Chelsea.
Two defeats at the Amex in the space of the week and this was a terrible performance.
Pressure building on Enzo Maresca.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:53 , Matt Verri90+3 mins: Lamptey allowed to stroll into the box, but he slices an effort wide.
Chelsea can be very grateful this is only 3-0. Could easily have been five, six or even more.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:50 , Matt Verri90 mins: Six minutes added on.
Just what the Chelsea players wanted to see...
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:47 , Matt Verri87 mins: Great save from Verbruggen!
He sticks out a leg to stop Brighton conceding an own goal - afraid that doesn’t count as a shot on target for Chelsea.
Palmer then swings a cross straight out of play.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:45 , Matt Verri84 mins: Off the post!
Lovely ball clipped over the top, flag stays down and Veltman should score... lifts a finish against the post.
He was onside, too. Chelsea a shambles in defence.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:41 , Matt Verri81 mins: Brighton just lump a ball over the top.
Jorgensen considers coming, stops. Cucurella doesn’t deal with it either and Minteh gathers, he’s just been too good.
Offside flag saves Chelsea, before Minteh gives Cucurella a shove and earns himself a yellow card.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:38 , Matt Verri78 mins: Minteh swings in a free-kick, Pedro gets up at the near post and it’s another big, big chance.
He powers a header over the bar - Chelsea will do well to get out of this with a 3-0 defeat.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:34 , Matt Verri75 mins: Could be 4-0!
Pedro is on for Brighton and he should probably score. Jorgensen passes it straight to him, it’s an open goal from 25 yards out but the finish is wild.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:32 , Matt Verri73 mins: Brighton break from the corner and there is a crazy amount of space for them.
Mitoma allowed to run forward and forward and forward, into the box. Eventually gets the shot away and it’s straight at Jorgensen.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:31 , Matt Verri72 mins: Good from George, nice and direct as he beats his man and wins a corner for Chelsea.
Great ball in from Palmer, Webster there yet again to head it behind.
This one fired in at the near post, Brighton deal with it once more.
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:29 , Matt Verri68 mins: Verbruggen off his line quickly, as Chelsea threaten in behind.
Reminder that the Blues still haven’t managed a shot on target...
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:25 , Matt Verri65 mins: Fernandez booked, as it all threatens to spill over after that goal. Plenty of hot heads in the Chelsea camp.
Triple change from Maresca. George, Dewsbury-Hall and James are on for Neto, Caicedo and Gusto.
GOAL! Brighton 3-0 Chelsea | Yankuba Minteh 63'
21:23 , Matt VerriGAME OVER!
Chelsea just a complete mess at the back. Welbeck slides it through to Minteh, he cuts back inside Cucurella and drills past Jorgensen, with the help of a slight deflection.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
21:20 , Matt VerriChants of Roman Abramovich from the away end and then “We want our Chelsea back”.
At Southampton, barely two months ago, they were singing “We’ve got our Chelsea back”.
Things have spiralled quickly.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:20 , Matt Verri60 mins: Gusto fine to continue for now.
Cheers from the Brighton fans as Palmer lets the ball run straight through him - he’s had a really poor match.
Chelsea give it away, the hosts come flying forward and Baleba’s shot is charged down.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:17 , Matt Verri57 mins: Van Hecke and Webster just winning everything in the Brighton box.
Neto the latest Chelsea player to swing in a cross, Van Hecke there to clear the danger.
Gusto has gone down now for Chelsea. James on the bench if needed.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:15 , Matt Verri55 mins: That comes to nothing, as has been the case all night with Chelsea’s corners.
Maresca laughing on the bench, as Welbeck stops, demands a free-kick and eventually gets it.
Chelsea boss isn’t having much fun out there.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:13 , Matt Verri53 mins: Chelsea at least starting to pin Brighton back a bit.
Fernandez swings in a cross, trying to pick out Nkunku in the middle, but Webster is there to head it away.
Chelsea corner coming up.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:10 , Matt Verri50 mins: Palmer decides to go on a one-man press, but Brighton just play it around him.
Chalobah slides in to stop Welbeck turning, thinks he got the ball but free-kick given.
Taken quickly, Minteh into the and he lays it back for Rutter. Lashed over the bar.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:07 , Matt Verri47 mins: Early free-kick for Chelsea.
Clipped in, Colwill’s flicked header goes miles wide... and he was offside anyway.
Apart from that, it was great.
Back underway!
21:05 , Matt VerriUp and running in the second-half!
How Brighton took the lead
20:59 , Matt VerriThat touch from Mitoma...
En. Joy.
"A touch from the heavens" 💫
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 14, 2025
Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma puts the hosts in front with an OUTRAGEOUS goal 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/Q35NdQcj5R
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:55 , Matt VerriSame old story for Chelsea. Incapable of making clear chances.
One shot on target in three halves of football across the two games here - Brighton have scored four of their five in that time.
HT: Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
20:50 , Matt VerriAnd that’s half-time.
Brighton deservedly in front and well on their way to another win over Chelsea.
Mitoma’s stunning goal the highlight of the half, and almost certainly the weekend whatever happens over the next couple of days.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
20:48 , Matt Verri45+3 mins: Chelsea really don’t look like scoring.
Palmer very quiet, Nkunku has barely had a kick. Yet to have a shot on target.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
20:45 , Matt Verri45 mins: Four minutes added on.
That’s in the region of 240 seconds more than Chelsea want.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
20:43 , Matt Verri43 mins: Caicedo absolutely flies in to clean out Mitoma, who was threatening to break away.
As easy a yellow card decision as you will see.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:42 , Matt VerriAll going horribly wrong for Chelsea at the moment.
They lose Madueke and then concede within minutes.
Then they have a goal disallowed and concede within minutes again.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
20:41 , Matt Verri41 mins: Neto plays it inside to Gusto, who has space 25 yards out.
On his left foot, goes for goal and it’s fired beyond the far corner. Verbruggen’s dive made that look closer than it was.
GOAL! Brighton 2-0 Chelsea | Yankuba Minteh 38'
20:39 , Matt VerriAND NOW BRIGHTON HAVE A SECOND!
Jorgensen makes a good save to to stop Colwill scoring an own goal, but Chelsea can’t clear the danger.
Welbeck lays it off for Minteh, who is patient before drilling in a low finish.
NO GOAL!
20:36 , Matt Verri35 mins: Fernandez heads Chelsea level... no he doesn’t!
Whistle had gone, for all Fernandez doesn’t like it. He gave Veltman a bit of a shove and VAR confirms that decision. No goal.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:32 , Matt Verri32 mins: Chelsea corner, as they look for a quick response.
Palmer swings it in, headed out and Fernandez then smashes it high and wide.
He’s adamant it should be a corner - referee says goal-kick. Think it did take a flick off Mitoma.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:30 , Matt Verri30 mins: Fair to say the Brighton fans are up after that goal.
Chelsea go long themselves, Sancho’s touch plays it into the path of Neto... who blazes wide from a tight angle.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:28 , Matt VerriThat is a bit special.
Four perfect touches from Kauro Mitoma and Brighton lead.
GOAL! Brighton 1-0 Chelsea | Kaoru Mitoma 27'
20:27 , Matt VerriSENSATIONAL GOAL!
That is outrageous. Long ball pumped forward, Mitoma takes it out of the sky with a stunning first touch.
Worked onto his right foot and he just curls it into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:24 , Matt VerriOn 14 December, Chelsea had nine senior forward players fit and available. They’re now down to four.
Madueke, Jackson, Guiu, Mudryk and Felix all out of the equation for one reason or another.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:24 , Matt Verri23 mins: Sancho playing on the left after coming on, with Neto shifting over to the right.
I’ll be honest with you... it’s not been thrill-a-minute so far.
Mitoma tries to change that as he moves into the area, goes down, but the appeals for a penalty are hopeful in the extreme.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:21 , Matt VerriMadueke makes a “torn” gesture towards the bench as he comes off shaking his head with what looked like a hamstring problem.
Straight down the tunnel.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:21 , Matt VerriAll the rage these hamstring injuries, aren’t they?
A huge shame for Noni Madueke, who had started well in front of the watching England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Chelsea’s injury problems grow in attack - but an opportunity instead for Jadon Sancho.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:20 , Matt Verri20 mins: Madueke looks to have done his hamstring in that attack.
That will be the end of his night, Sancho is quickly trying to get himself ready to come on.
Hamstring injuries everywhere you look in the Premier League...
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:18 , Matt Verri18 mins: Chelsea get in again down the right, that’s where the best moments have come.
Madueke picks out Palmer on the edge of the box, it’s a good chance but he slices a first-time effort well wide.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:17 , Matt Verri16 mins: Lamptey drives forward for Brighton, goes down expecting the whistle but the referee waves play on. He says Colwill got the ball.
Replays show... Colwill very much did not get the ball. Just shoved Lamptey over.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:15 , Matt Verri14 mins: Welbeck gets in behind, drives into the box and from a tight angle tries to play it across the face of goal. Deflected behind for a corner.
Minteh takes it short to Mitoma, back to Minteh and Nkunku is across to poke it away for another corner.
This one swung straight in, Neto does enough to put Welbeck off at the back post.
Chelsea threaten to break, until Baleba beats Madueke for pace.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:12 , Matt Verri12 mins: Cucurella lunges in on Minteh, not a great challenge at all. Brighton fans, unsurprisingly, have an opinion on that.
Maybe a bit fortunate to avoid a yellow card for that.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:11 , Matt VerriIt’s almost like an NFL defensive set-up for Chelsea when they haven’t got the ball.
They’ve got a front-five putting pressure on the ball and a big gap to the rest - the defensive backs, in this scenario - who are covering for the direct ball.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:10 , Matt Verri10 mins: Nearly 80% of the ball so far for Chelsea - not many do that to Brighton.
Hasn’t been anything too dangerous yet from the Blues, but they at least look confident in possession.
Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium
20:07 , Matt VerriLooks a very fluid Chelsea system, this. At times Enzo Fernandez is actually higher up the pitch than either Palmer or Nkunku.
It’s almost a 4-1-5, with different players dropping out of that forward line and into midfield.
It’ll take some figuring out for Brighton.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:07 , Matt Verri6 mins: Mitoma goes on his first run, skips into the area but Madueke is back to help out Gusto.
Would suggest Chelsea don’t want to let Mitoma stroll into the box at will.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:04 , Matt Verri3 mins: Chelsea play their way out really nicely and Gusto then charges near enough the length of the pitch down the right wing.
Cuts it back to Palmer, who lashes a strike over the bar from just outside the area.
Malik Ouzia at Amex Stadium
20:03 , Matt VerriWell an immediate surprise in Chelsea’s shape.
Looks like Cole Palmer is if not playing up front then is certainly the furthest forward of Chelsea’s attackers, with Christopher Nkunku in behind.
Imagine that’ll be quite fluid.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:02 , Matt Verri2 mins: Boos for every early touch Cucurella has, and the Brighton fans remember they should probably keep it going as the pass is played inside to Caicedo.
Chelsea seeing all of the ball early on.
KICK-OFF!
20:00 , Matt VerriUnderway at the Amex!
Here we go...
19:56 , Matt VerriTeams are in the tunnel.
A busy night in store for Brighton fans, booing all those in the Chelsea side who used to play with them.
Exhausting fixture for those poor supporters.
Malik Ouzia at Amex Stadium
19:49 , Matt VerriAn absolutely freezing evening here on the south coast and so I feel a fair bit for the chap who’s just been soaked by the sprinklers while trying to get a snap down the tunnel on his phone.
Not going to be drying out or warming up any time soon.
15-minute warning!
19:43 , Matt VerriKick-off fast approaching at the Amex.
Really is a crucial night for Chelsea, as they look to find some form on the road.
It’s now five matches without a win away from Stamford Bridge.
Maresca: Chelsea wanted top-four finish within two years
19:32 , Matt VerriEnzo Maresca has insisted Chelsea are ahead of schedule despite their recent dip in form.
The Blues were threatening to play a role in the title race before Christmas, but Maresca is adamant top-four this season would be a significant success.
"The club asked to play Champions League in two years," Maresca said. "If we are able to bring this club after one year, it will be fantastic."
"It's very important for sure. First of all for the club, for the fans, because this club belongs to the Champions League. Then for a while, we didn't play Champions League, we didn't compete for important titles.
"The only thing I can say is that now we are in the right process, we are in the right direction. Chelsea has never been top four in the table in the last two years.
"This season, we spent almost all our season top four at least. So that shows that we are in the right direction. For sure it's not enough because we want to bring this club where this club belongs.
"As I said, that is Champions League. We're going to try to do our best and if we are able to do that, we're going to be very happy. Otherwise, we're going to try next year."
Adam Webster speaks ahead of kick-off
19:25 , Matt VerriBrighton defender insists the hosts have already put last weekend’s win over Chelsea behind them as they look to once again get the better of the Blues tonight.
“They’ve got a lot of quality in their team, a lot of attacking threats,” Webster says.
“They can score goals from all over the pitch.”
"Tonight could be a completely different game. It was a good win last week but we've got to refocus." 👊 Webby's #BHACHE preview. 💬 pic.twitter.com/JPDpOw2Rui
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) February 14, 2025
Malik Ouzia at Amex Stadium
19:16 , Matt VerriCan Christopher Nkunku show he is ready to step up in Nicolas Jackson’s absence?
"Maybe more than any other player, it's a big night for Christopher Nkunku."
— Standard Sport (@standardsport) February 14, 2025
🗣 @MalikOuzia_ gives his pre-match thoughts as the Chelsea forward looks to find some much-needed form.
LIVE: https://t.co/lEwfBEBvFw #BHACHE pic.twitter.com/gghWDAqbgK
One change for Brighton
19:05 , Matt VerriFabian Hurzeler largely sticking with a winning formula.
Just the once change from the side that beat Brighton a week ago in the FA Cup, as Adam Webster comes in for the injured Lewis Dunk.
That means the likes of Joao Pedro and Simon Adingra are waiting in reserve if required.
James on the bench for Chelsea
18:57 , Matt VerriChelsea team is largely as expected.
Filip Jorgensen is now the first-choice goalkeeper and is preferred to Robert Sanchez, while Christopher Nkunku leads the line with Enzo Maresca short of options.
Only slight surprise is that Reece James has to settle for a place on the bench.
Brighton team news
18:49 , Matt VerriStarting XI: Verbruggen, Lamptey, Webster, Van Hecke, Veltman, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Mitoma, Rutter, Minteh, Welbeck
Subs: Rushworth, Gruda, Pedro, Adingra, Cashin, Gomez, Ayari, Wieffer, O’Riley
Chelsea team news
18:46 , Matt VerriStarting XI: Jorgensen; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Nkunku
Subs: Sanchez, Acheampong, Tosin, Anselmino, James, Amougou, Dewsbury-Hall, Sancho, George
Stand by...
18:39 , Matt VerriTeam news coming up from the Amex in the next five minutes or so.
Lewis Dunk is a doubt for Brighton, while Enzo Maresca is increasingly short of options in attack.
All will soon be revealed.
Maresca hits out at fixture scheduling
18:27 , Matt VerriEnzo Maresca has blasted the “completely wrong” Premier League scheduling that forced Chelsea to play on transfer deadline day, after he was dealt a centre-forward injury crisis in the final hours of the window.
The Blues beat West Ham 2-1 on the last day of the window this month, but victory came at a cost as first Nicolas Jackson and then Marc Guiu suffered hamstring injuries.
Both players are set for significant spells on the sidelines, with Maresca confirming on Thursday that first-choice No9 Nicolas Jackson will not return until after he March international break.
Those injuries have cast a dim light on Chelsea’s decision not to strengthen their forward line in January, but Maresca instead directed his frustration at the timing of the London derby, which left the club no time to react in the transfer market.
“I think it’s completely wrong,” Maresca said of his side having to play as the window drew to close.
“No [we can’t plan for it] and the reason is that we had two injuries on the deadline. We finished the game at 10pm and the deadline was 11pm. You cannot plan to get injuries to two strikers in the same game.
“It’s impossible, but it happened and now we need to find solutions because we didn’t have time to go for a No9.
“It’s something you cannot plan, in the same game, on the deadline, two strikers both injured. It’s difficult to plan that.”
Stage is set!
18:14 , Matt VerriUnder big night under lights on the south coast for the Blues...
Back again for Friday night #PL football. 🏟️#CFC | #BHACHE pic.twitter.com/LTFANMDrZ6
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 14, 2025
Look away now, Chelsea fans
18:05 , Matt VerriIt’s a swift return to the Amex Stadium for Chelsea.
Fair to say the FA Cup trip last weekend didn’t go to plan, despite the Blues taking the lead in the opening five minutes.
Just one shot on target in the whole match for Enzo Maresca’s side.
How it stands...
17:56 , Matt VerriVictory for Chelsea and they will cement their spot in the top four, moving five points clear of Manchester City and Newcastle.
Those two sides play each other tomorrow, so this is a real chance for Enzo Maresca’s side to strengthen their hand.
Brighton, though, would move to within six points of the Blues if they can once again get the better of them.
Will Maresca calls for patience fall on deaf ears?
17:44 , Matt VerriNot for the first time this season, Enzo Maresca chose a moment to distance his Chelsea team from those that have come before.
Ahead of this evening’s trip to Brighton, Maresca was responding to criticism over the Blues’ FA Cup defeat on the same ground six nights ago, and in particular his claim that their exit would at least narrow focus on the Premier League and Conference League for the remainder of the campaign.
The Carabao Cup had been given up in similarly tame fashion at Newcastle in October, also in the fourth round, and Maresca’s approach to the domestic cups has been perceived by some fans as a little defeatist, unbecoming of a club that, in the Roman Abramovich era, lifted those trophies a combined eight times and reached another seven finals.
“They are 100 per cent fair and 100 per cent correct,” Maresca said of supporters’ frustrations. “I grew up watching Chelsea winning games and competitions but this Chelsea is not the same as that one. We are not ready to compete in four competitions in one season at the moment.
“When fans have seen their club win titles, titles, titles, it is normal they can react in this way. Our goal, our duty is to bring this club to win or compete in four competitions. But at this moment we are not ready.
“There are clubs that have been together for three, four, five years but they still struggle. Why should Chelsea, after six months, be winning the Premier League, finishing in the top four or winning four competitions. Why?”
Hosts have arrived
17:31 , Matt VerriBrighton in the building at the Amex nice and early.
The win over Chelsea in the FA Cup last weekend actually ended a poor run on home soil for the Seagulls.
Before that match, they had failed to win any of their previous five matches at the Amex.
Last time against Brighton (in the Premier League)
16:30 , Tashan Deniran-AlleyneSix goals were scored, all in the first-half, when Chelsea faced Brighton in the reverse Premier League meeting earlier in the season.
Cole Palmer netted all four goals as Chelsea emerged victorious and his stunning free-kick was the pick of the goals...
Goal 3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/2iBSmMparL
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 13, 2025
Maresca makes Jackson warning
14:30 , Tashan Deniran-AlleyneEnzo Maresca has warned his Chelsea side will have to “change the way we play”, after Nicolas Jackson was ruled out until after the March international break.
Jackson suffered a hamstring injury during last week’s victory over West Ham and, while Maresca was initially optimistic that his absence would be only short term, scans this week have revealed the issue to be worse than first thought.
Teenage understudy Marc Guiu, who had been earmarked for a more significant role in the second half of the season, was injured in the same game and Maresca confirmed last week that he is also set for a significant spell on the sidelines.
It leaves Chelsea without a recognised senior centre-forward, with Maresca doubling down on his insistence that Christopher Nkunku is not a natural No9.
Read Maresca's full quotes here!
Brighton injury blow
12:30 , Tashan Deniran-AlleyneIn a huge blow for Brighton, Fabian Hurzeler has confirmed summer signing Ferdi Kadioglu - who hasn’t featured in the Premier League since November - is still some way off from a return to action.
"He's unfortunately still a long way off,” Hurzeler said in his pre-Chelsea press conference on Thursday.
“It's still the same injury, so it seemed to be a small injury, but in that case it turns into a big injury, and therefore we have to go step for step.
“He's doing his rehab, he's doing his process, so it's all fine. There are no other complications about his injury, but it will take time until he's back on the pitch unfortunately.”
Brighton vs Chelsea: Head to head (h2h) history and results
10:08 , Tashan Deniran-AlleyneBrighton wins: 4
Draws: 5
Chelsea wins: 11
Brighton emerged victorious in the FA Cup tie less than a week ago, but prior to that Chelsea had won the previous four meetings, including an entertaining six-goal thriller in the reverse Premier League clash earlier in the season.
Enzo Maresca sparks Fabian Hurzeler tension with bizarre answer before Brighton clash
07:14 , Jonathan GorrieEnzo Maresca has stoked tensions ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Brighton on Friday night with a bizarre series of answers about Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler.
Maresca takes his Chelsea side to the Amex for the second time in a week, with the Blues looking to avenge their FA Cup fourth-round defeat as the sides meet again in the Premier League.
Both Maresca and Hurzeler were appointed by their respective clubs last summer, with the latter becoming the youngest manager in Premier League history at just 31.
When asked, however, what he had made of his counterpart’s debut season, the Italian declined to comment.
“I prefer not to say anything about their manager,” he said.
Later, when pressed on whether he had not been impressed by Hurzeler’s work on the south coast, Maresca instead paid homage to former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.
Maresca’s countryman left Brighton at the end of last season, after almost two years in charge, and was linked with the Chelsea job before taking up his current post at Marseille.
“It’s not that I’m not impressed [with Hurzeler],” Maresca said. “First of all, I think the previous Brighton manager is a top manager, not because he’s a friend of mine, but I think he’s a top manager. And that’s it, yeah.”
Finally, when asked at the end of his press conference whether he also considered Hurzeler a “top manager”, Maresca simply smiled and said: “Thank you very much.”
Brighton vs Chelsea: Match odds
Thursday 13 February 2025 23:00 , Tashan Deniran-AlleyneBrighton to win: 13/8
Draw: 15/8
Chelsea to win: 6/5
Odds via Betfair and subject to change.
Maresca confirms Jorgensen return
Thursday 13 February 2025 20:00 , Tashan Deniran-AlleyneFilip Jorgensen is set to resume his place in goal for Chelsea at Brighton on Friday night, with Enzo Maresca confirming he has usurped Robert Sanchez as his Premier League No1.
Sanchez began the season as Maresca’s first-choice goalkeeper and the Italian was firm in backing his man despite a number of high-profile errors early in the campaign.
After a brief upturn in form, however, Sanchez endured a disastrous week at the end of last month in which he made clangers against both Wolves and Manchester City.
Standard Sport prediction
Thursday 13 February 2025 17:30 , Tashan Deniran-AlleyneChelsea were well short of their best in the FA Cup tie between the two sides last weekend and will need to raise it to avoid another defeat.
However, the absence of Nicolas Jackson does make things harder for the Blues especially as Christopher Nkunku didn’t cover himself in glory last time out.
Still, Brighton had a huge slice of luck with their winning goal in the cup tie and, in truth, there wasn’t a lot between the two teams. The points being shared on Friday night looks likely.
1-1 draw
Early Brighton team news
Thursday 13 February 2025 15:00 , Matt VerriBrighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has revealed Lewis Dunk “is doubtful” for tomorrow night’s match at the Amex.
The Seagulls captain will be assessed this afternoon and a late decision will be made on his availability.
Mats Wieffer has trained and could be involved, but Pervis Estupinan remains out and the match is likely to come too soon for Solly March.
New signing Diego Gomez was involved off the bench in the FA Cup and could once again have a role to play tomorrow.
Early Chelsea team news
Thursday 13 February 2025 13:13 , Matt VerriChelsea’s injury crisis in attack has intensified, with Nicolas Jackson ruled out until after the March international break.
With Marc Guiu already sidelined, Enzo Maresca had hoped to have Jackson back for the trip to the Amex. But scans this week revealed his hamstring injury is worse than first feared.
It means that Christopher Nkunku is again likely to lead the line, despite an underwhelming performance when the Blues crashed out of the FA Cup against the same opponents last weekend.
In better news for Chelsea, Maresca has confirmed that Reece James is fit and available having been rested for that fourth-round tie.
Filip Jorgensen is set to return in goal in place of Robert Sanchez, after Maresca confirmed the 22-year-old is now his first-choice ‘keeper in the league.
Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile all remain long-term absentees.
Chelsea predicted XI: Jorgensen; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Nkunku
How to watch Brighton vs Chelsea
Thursday 13 February 2025 11:10 , Matt VerriTV channel: The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT ahead of an 8pm kick-off.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch via the Sky Go website or app.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the action right here with us, featuring expert analysis from Malik Ouzia at the ground.
Good morning!
Thursday 13 February 2025 09:24 , Matt VerriHello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Brighton vs Chelsea!
The Blues are back at the Amex Stadium, looking for some sort of revenge after they were dumped out of the FA Cup last weekend by the Seagulls.
We’ll have all the latest build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes tomorrow night at 8pm GMT.
