Chelsea vs Brighton preview

Team news, key stats and predictions ahead of Chelsea vs Brighton in the Premier League.

• Premier League scores and fixtures
• Premier League table

Team news

Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James are in contention for Chelsea after impressing in midweek. Hudson-Odoi marked his return from injury with a goal in the 7-1 drubbing of Grimsby, while defender Reece James was on target on his Blues debut.

Frank Lampard expects Olivier Giroud and Andreas Christensen to be fit after illness and injury respectively but Antonio Rudiger, Emerson Palmieri and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remain sidelined.

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Brighton will be without centre-back Shane Duffy after the Republic of Ireland international suffered a calf problem in the midweek Carabao Cup defeat against Aston Villa.

Glenn Murray (ankle) should be available having returned to training, while Alireza Jahanbakhsh could come into contention again following an injury picked up during the international break.

Leandro Trossard (groin) continues his recovery, along with Solly March (thigh) and Bernardo. Jose Izquierdo (knee) and Ezequiel Schelotto (knee) also remain sidelined.

How to watch

Follow the action with our dedicated live blog. Highlights of the game will be published at 5.15pm on the Sky Sports website and app plus the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.

• How to watch Premier League highlights
• Live football on Sky Sports this week

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Opta stats

• Chelsea have won all four of their Premier League games against Brighton, scoring 11 goals and conceding just once.
• Brighton have lost all eight of their league meetings with Chelsea (four in the second tier between 1983 and 1989, four in the Premier League).
• A defeat here for Brighton against Chelsea would set a record since the Football League began in 1888 for most games against an opponent while losing each game (currently eight defeats) - Bournemouth also lost all eight of their games against Wimbledon between 1977 and 1984.
• Brighton have managed just 11 shots in two away Premier League matches against Chelsea, having just two on target and failing to score in both games.
• Since joining the Premier League in 2017, Brighton have taken just one point from 13 Premier League away games at the 'big six' sides (W0 D1 L12).
• Chelsea have shipped 13 Premier League goals so far this season and are yet to keep a clean sheet. The last time they failed to keep a single clean sheet in their opening seven games to a top-flight season was in 1990-91.
• Chelsea are winless in their three Premier League home games this season (D2 L1). The last time they failed to win any of their first four at Stamford Bridge in a league season was 1986-87.

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Charlie Nicholas' prediction

The young stars are shining bright at Chelsea. They got a chance against Grimsby and Callum Hudson-Odoi got a new contract, played and scored too, so everything looks to be on the up. But you have to remember that they lost their last Premier League game, are mid-table so far and you don't know what will happen next.

• Premier League top scorers

Graham Potter had a great start to the season and was in a bubble but reality has hit. Leandro Trossard is injured, Anthony Knockaert has gone and they don't have the width any more. Tammy Abraham's pace will be too much for them here.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-1 (11/1 with Sky Bet)

Fantasy Football tip

Mason Mount (£7.3m) is the most transferred player in currently on Fantasy Football, with 7.68 per cent of Fantasy Football managers bringing him in for the clash against Brighton. He has three goals to his name already and could be set to extend that with some generous fixtures.

Who will you pick? Play Fantasy Football here.

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