Chelsea take on Brighton at Amex Stadium for the second time in a week, looking to avenge their 1–2 defeat in the FA Cup with a Premier League victory that keeps them among the top four in the standings.
Enzo Maresca's squad looked flat in their first of the two back-to-back games vs. Brighton. The Seagulls were the superior team and deservedly ended Chelsea's hopes of winning a domestic cup this season. The Blues must find a way to show significant improvement if they are to take home all three points from the second meeting.
It's been a worrisome start to 2025 for Chelsea. The team has been miles off the level they showed during the first three-plus months of the campaign, with injuries starting to take a heavy toll on Maresca's squad.
Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu are in for long spells on the sidelines after both picked up hamstring injuries in the win vs. West Ham. Christopher Nkunku will likely take on the center forward duties, but Chelsea might be forced to employ a different system given he's not a natural striker.
Elsewhere, Benoît Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia remain in the process of recovering from injuries. With a handful of players also leaving during the January transfer window, Chelsea will have a thin squad in upcoming games.
Here's how Chelsea could lineup vs. Brighton in the Premier League.
