Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea are set to meet for the second time in six days as they face off in Friday’s Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium. The visitors will be eager for revenge after suffering a narrow defeat in their FA Cup fourth-round encounter last weekend.

Brighton entered that cup tie in need of a confidence boost after suffering back-to-back league defeats, including a crushing 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest. Despite conceding an early goal due to a goalkeeping error, they fought back with a Georginio Rutter equalizer before Kaoru Mitoma struck the winner to end their four-game losing streak against Chelsea. While the Seagulls are now looking forward to an FA Cup fifth-round tie against Newcastle United, their immediate focus is on securing a positive Premier League run to bolster their European qualification hopes. They have struggled in recent months, winning just two of their last 12 league games, and they remain winless in five consecutive home league matches since defeating Manchester City in November.

Chelsea, meanwhile, saw their FA Cup campaign end at the Amex, meaning their hopes of lifting silverware now rest on the Conference League. With a top-four Premier League finish their primary domestic goal, the Blues sit in fourth place, just two points clear of both Manchester City and Newcastle. However, their away form is a concern, having failed to win any of their last four league games on the road. They have struggled in past trips to Brighton but will take confidence from their most recent Premier League win at the Amex last May. The Blues also have the opportunity to complete a league double over Brighton after Cole Palmer’s four-goal masterclass secured a 4-2 victory in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge.

Brighton will be without several key players, including Jason Steele, Ferdi Kadioglu, Igor Julio, James Milner, and Solly March. Pervis Estupinan and Mats Wieffer remain doubts, while captain Lewis Dunk’s rib injury could see Adam Webster step in. Diego Gomez is pushing for a first start, and Joao Pedro could return to the lineup. Chelsea are also dealing with injury setbacks, missing Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Omari Kellyman, and Marc Guiu. Mykhaylo Mudryk remains suspended due to a doping ban. Reece James is expected to return, but Nicolas Jackson faces six weeks out with a hamstring issue. Filip Jorgensen, Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez, and Noni Madueke are in contention to start.

Chelsea will be eager to bounce back from their cup defeat, but Brighton’s tendency to draw at home suggests a tightly contested encounter. I expect them to stun the Blues and grab the full prize.

布莱顿和切尔西将在6天内第二次相遇，他们将在周五的英超联赛中在美国运通球场交锋。客队在上周末的足总杯第四轮比赛中以微弱劣势落败，他们渴望复仇。

布莱顿在联赛中遭遇了连败，包括0 - 7惨败给诺丁汉森林之后，需要信心的提振才能参加杯赛。尽管由于守门员失误而早早失球，但他们凭借乔治尼奥·拉特的进球扳平了比分，随后三oma的绝杀结束了对切尔西的四连败。虽然海鸥队现在正期待着足总杯第五轮对阵纽卡斯尔联队的比赛，但他们目前的重点是确保英超联赛的积极发展，以增强他们的欧洲资格希望。最近几个月，他们表现不佳，在过去的12场联赛中只赢了两场，自去年11月击败曼城以来，他们已经连续5场主场比赛没有获胜。

与此同时，切尔西的足总杯之旅在美国运通结束，这意味着他们举起奖杯的希望现在寄托在联盟联赛上。在英超前四的联赛中完成了他们的主要国内进球后，蓝军排名第四，仅比曼城和纽卡斯尔领先两分。然而，他们的客场状态令人担忧，他们在过去的四场联赛中没有赢过一场。他们在过去的布莱顿之旅中表现不佳，但他们将从去年5月在美国运通取得的最近一场英超胜利中获得信心。蓝军也有机会在对阵布莱顿的比赛中完成联赛双冠王，科尔·帕尔默的四粒进球帮助蓝军在斯坦福桥4-2大胜布莱顿。

布莱顿将失去几名关键球员，包括杰森·斯蒂尔、费迪·卡迪奥卢、伊戈尔·胡里奥、詹姆斯·米尔纳和索利·马奇。埃斯图皮南和维弗仍然不确定，而队长刘易斯·邓克的肋骨受伤可能会让亚当·韦伯斯特上场。迭戈·戈麦斯正在争取首发，若昂·佩德罗可能会回到首发阵容。切尔西也在处理伤病的问题，他们失去了福法纳、巴迪亚希尔、拉维亚、凯利曼和吉尤。由于兴奋剂禁令，米哈伊洛·穆德里克仍然被禁赛。里斯·詹姆斯有望回归，但尼古拉斯·杰克逊因腿筋问题将缺席六周。约根森、科尔威尔、费尔南德斯和马杜克都有可能首发。

切尔西将渴望从杯赛的失利中恢复过来，但布莱顿在主场的平局倾向表明这是一场激烈的比赛。我希望他们能击败蓝军并获得全部奖金。