Brighton vs. Chelsea: prediction, team news and odds
Brighton and Chelsea do battle at the Amex Stadium on Monday evening with both clubs looking for improved Premier League campaigns.
The Blues are making a slightly later start to the season following their Champions League involvement in Lisbon, where they were brushed aside by eventual winners Bayern Munich in the round of 16.
Although they squandered the chance to win the FA Cup last month, there were positives to take from reaching the final and claiming a Champions League spot through their Premier League form.
While the Blues edged out Leicester City for fourth place last season, the Seagulls could only finish in 15th position in the standings.
All eyes will be on Kai Havertz and Timo Werner after they netted 52 goals between them for Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig during the last campaign.
Reason for Brighton vs. Chelsea predictions:
- Brighton failed to score in three of their final four home games last season.
- The Seagulls conceded three or more goals in three of those matches.
- Chelsea scored exactly three goals in three of their final six Premier League fixtures last term.
- Chelsea won five of their last six meetings with Brighton.
- Chelsea won five of their last six meetings with Brighton.
German pair Werner and Havertz – who scored 52 goals between them last season – are the only new recruits set to feature for Chelsea against a Brighton side also looking to kick on from last season.
Chelsea ended last season wobbly on the road, winning just two of their last nine away outings in the Premier League. And across the whole campaign they kept only one clean sheet on their travels.
Brighton were hardly prolific on home soil, drawing a blank in four of their final six games.
These two clubs have met only six times in the Premier League, with Chelsea winning all but one of those matches. The other was a draw.
Last season, Chelsea won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in September before a 1-1 tie at the Amex followed on New Year’s Day.
With Lampard having to wait to field his new-look backline, Brighton will naturally feel that they can take full advantage. However, given the options in Chelsea’s attack, we feel that a thrilling draw could be played out on the South Coast.
Our prediction: Over 2.5 @ 1.781
