Stamford Bridge plays host to an intriguing Premier League clash this Sunday as inconsistent Chelsea look for a return to winning ways against a tricky Brighton outfit.
Chelsea are a weird bunch, aren't they. When they were struggling to score at the start of the season, they at least knew how to defend. Now they started to score, their defence has gone AWOL.
Seriously, in their first eight games the Blues bagged eight goals, averaging exactly one a game.
In their last eight, however, Mauricio Pochettino's side have scored 19 times. If they wouldn't have conceded 14 along they way, they may have made some progress.
Speaking of goals, Brighton were one of the wildest team to watch in the early parts of the season.
The same cannot be said about the last couple of months which have produced five draws from ten outings – three of them 1-1.
The Seagulls are eighth in the Premier League table and are on a seven-match unbeaten run across all competitions.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have won just two of their last six matches and head into the weekend on the back of a 4-1 loss away at Newcastle.
The Blues have conceded eight goals from their last two games which certainly bodes well for the goal-hungry neutrals.
With Chelsea needing to tighten at the back and Brighton coming back from Athens, this may not be an all-guns blazing encounter we hope for.
Bearing that in mind, our recommendation is to back a one goal winning margin and both teams to score.
Team newsChelsea will be without the suspended duo of Reece James and Marc Cucurella. Pochettino also has a host of other injury worries, though there are reports surrounding a potential return for Christopher Nkunku.
Brighton won't be able to field Mahmoud Dahoud and Lewis Dunk through suspensions.
To make matters worse, there are a host of injury worries including Ansu Fati, Solomon March and Julio Enciso.
Key stats- Chelsea are winless against Brighton in five
- Brighton have failed to score in eight of their last 10 games at Stamford Bridge
- Chelsea conceded four goals in each of their last two games
- Brighton are one of four teams in the Premier League yet to keep a clean sheet
Suggested betsOne goal winning margin
Both teams to score
