Brighton vs Chelsea: FA Cup Clash Preview, Predictions & Lineups

Can Chelsea Overcome Brighton to Secure FA Cup Progression?

Chelsea travel to the American Express Stadium on Saturday evening to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup fourth round. The Blues are eager to capitalize on their recent momentum, while the Seagulls look to recover from a shocking 7-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest.

Match Details

• Location: Brighton, England
• Stadium: American Express Stadium
• Date: Saturday, 8 February
• Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
• Referee: Jarred Gillett
• VAR: Not in use

Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Meetings)

• Brighton: 1 win
• Chelsea: 4 wins
• Draws: 0
• Last Meeting: Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (28 September 2024) – Premier League

Current Form (All Competitions)

Brighton:

• Nottingham Forest 7-0 Brighton (01/02/25)
• Brighton 0-1 Everton (25/01/25)
• Man Utd 1-3 Brighton (19/01/25)
• Ipswich 0-2 Brighton (16/01/25)
• Norwich 0-4 Brighton (11/01/25)

Chelsea:

• Chelsea 2-1 West Ham (03/02/25)
• Man City 3-1 Chelsea (25/01/25)
• Chelsea 3-1 Wolves (20/01/25)
• Chelsea 2-2 Bournemouth (14/01/25)
• Chelsea 5-0 Morecambe (11/01/25)

Where to Watch Brighton vs Chelsea (UK & US)

Brighton Team News & Predicted Lineup

Brighton are dealing with a significant injury crisis. Mats Wieffer, James Milner, Jason Steele, Ferdi Kadioglu, Solly March, and Igor are ruled out. Meanwhile, Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari, and Pervis Estupinan remain doubtful, though manager Fabian Hurzeler has hinted that two of the three could feature.

Brighton Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Lamptey; Gomez, O’Riley; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Pedro.

Chelsea Team News & Predicted Lineup

Chelsea could be without Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu due to injuries sustained against West Ham. They may join Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, and David Datro Fofana on the sidelines. Enzo Maresca is expected to field a strong lineup despite recent squad changes during the transfer window.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Jorgensen; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Nkunku.

Brighton vs Chelsea: Score Prediction

With Brighton suffering a humiliating 7-0 loss last time out, their confidence could be shaken. However, their attacking talent, including Kaoru Mitoma and Joao Pedro, might trouble Chelsea’s defense. Given the Blues’ depth and recent improvement, they are slight favorites, but Brighton could push them to extra time.

Prediction: Brighton 2-3 Chelsea (AET)

What’s Your Prediction?

Do you think Chelsea will cruise to victory, or can Brighton pull off an FA Cup upset? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!