Date: Saturday 8th
February 2025
Venue: Amex Stadium
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
8pm on a Saturday night is an odd time for an FA Cup tie but
tonight, we face Brighton in the 4th round at the Amex.
Brighton come into tonight’s game with just two wins in 12
games and took a 7-0 thumping against Forest last weekend, whether that’s a
good thing for us or not is debatable though. They have progressed from five of
their last six FA Cup fourth-round ties but have lost their last four meetings
with us.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have won the competition 8 times and will be looking to progress to the fifth round for the 26th time in 28 seasons. We come into tonight’s game off the back of a win against West Ham last time out in the Premier League. We have won seven of the last 11 visits to Brighton in all competitions, but we haven’t won in any of our last four away from home.
It’s the FA Cup though, anything can happen.
.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
tonight’s game, Brighton manager, Fabian Hurzeler, says “We all apologised
after the (Forest) game. I apologised after the game for this performance and I
do it again. But now it is about looking into the future. Now it is about
sticking together. I think criticism is important for the development. But, in
the end, we can only achieve things together. We need the fans at the Amex, we
need them to support us. We need them as our 12th man. If they are there,
we have more energy. It is also about knowing together we can achieve more. I
know criticism is part of the business and it is also completely justified. But
now it is about sticking together and getting out of this situation together.”
Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, says “Marc is unfortunately a bad injury. Nico is better and he could be [fit for the game]. But it could also be a risk [to play him] so we will see. But it doesn’t look like a long injury. Marc could be [a long injury]. We are still waiting to know the extent but it doesn’t look like a short injury, it looks long. Exactly how long, we don’t know yet. Probably weeks. Romeo is still in the process of coming back,’ explained the Chelsea boss. But it’s still a long way to go.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Brighton, Jason Steele (shoulder),
Igor Julio (hamstring), Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), James Milner (thigh) and Solly
March (muscle) are all injured. Mate Wieffer (thigh), Carlos Baleba (muscle),
Pervis Estupinan (unspecified) and Yasin Ayari (muscle) all face late tests.
For Chelsea, Romeo Lavia (thigh), Wesley
Fofana (hamstring), Benoit Badiashile (thigh) and Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspended)
remain out. Marc Guiu (groin) has also been ruled out following an injury
against West Ham and Nicolas Jackson (hamstring), who was subbed off in the
same game, is unlikely to make the starting XI.
TEAMS
BRIGHTON (Possible
line-up): Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Cashin, Lamptey;
O’Riley, Hinshelwood; Adingra, Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck
CHELSEA
(Possible line-up): Jorgensen; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella;
Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; Nkunku
LAST MEETING
Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (28
Sept 2024)
CURRENT FORM (ALL)
Brighton: DWWWLL
Chelsea: DWDWLW
OTHER STUFF
- Brighton have lost each of their last four meetings
with Chelsea in all competitions
- Brighton have won just one of their last 11 home games
against Chelsea
- Chelsea have progressed from their last
two FA Cup ties against Brighton
- Brighton have won five of their six FA
Cup fourth round ties since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017
- Chelsea have progressed from 25 of their
last 27 FA Cup fourth round ties
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Brighton 1-3 Chelsea
