Chelsea have revealed their starting XI for a key Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Tuesday night. Liam Rosenior’s team come to the South Coast desperate to stop a terrible run that has seen them lose four straight league games without scoring a goal.
This is the first time the Blues have lost four straight league games without scoring since 1998. The visitors have named a lineup full of familiar faces, but there are also a few surprises. For example, Roméo Lavia will start in the middle of the park next to Moises Caicedo.
Robert Sánchez is the goalkeeper, and Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, and Marc Cucurella protect him on the defensive line. Jorrel Hato also gets the nod from Rosenior, turning the backline into what could be a five-man setup, and for the visitors tonight, Enzo Fernández wears the captain’s armband.
Pedro Neto and Liam Delap will be in charge of the attack for the Blues, while Cole Palmer and the injured João Pedro will not be playing at all. Before the game, Rosenior talked about one of his key midfielders’ fitness to ease fans’ minds:
“Enzo Fernandez was subbed off late on during Saturday’s game but it was just cramp and he is fine for the Brighton match.”
The choice is a calculated risk because Chelseaare still dealing with a lot of injuries, which have taken away a lot of Rosenior’s best options. Filip Jörgensen, Levi Colwill, Estêvão, and Jamie Gittens are all still out. Chalobah’s inclusion, however, means that this is his first start since the Blues lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Why Chelsea Desperately Need a Result at the Amex
The Blues go to Brighton with their hopes of making it to the Champions League hanging by a thread. Rosenior’s team have lost five of their last six Premier League games and are seven points behind Liverpool, who are in fifth place. If they lose on the South Coast, their hopes of returning to Europe’s top competition next season will almost certainly be over.
Brighton, on the other hand, couldn’t be having a bigger change in luck. They have gotten 16 points from their last seven Premier League games. Georginio Rutter’s dramatic equaliser in the 95th minute of a 2-2 draw away to Tottenham at the weekend was a perfect example of how strong and determined the Seagulls are.
If Fabian Hürzeler’s team win at home on Tuesday, they will move up to sixth place, ahead of their visitors. There is still a lot to play for in the last few weeks of the season.
If Chelsea don’t end their long losing streak tonight, Rosenior’s own position could come under more scrutiny. The Blues have a 10-day break before their next Premier League game. This weekend, they play Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Chelsea are trying to save their season on both the domestic and continental levels, so every result between now and then is very important.