The Blues are still in the hunt for a top-four finish but will need to improve to ensure they claim a spot in next season’s Champions League
Chelsea produced only their second win from a losing position in the Premier League on Sunday, as their 2-1 away victory at Cardiff City eased mounting pressure on their manager Maurizio Sarri.
The club’s away fans had turned against Sarri and were chanting “Sarri Out” before Cesar Azpilicueta and Ruben Loftus-Cheek turned around the result, with the help of several controversial refereeing decisions.
Brighton’s defeat at home to Southampton, meanwhile, has dragged them into a relegation battle, and they will be aiming to provide a shock at Stamford Bridge to aid their hopes of avoiding the drop.
Chelsea have close to a full complement of players available for their upcoming clash with the Seagulls, as their players have returned home from the international break without injury.
Loftus-Cheek, the goalscoring hero against Cardiff, continues to manage his chronic back problems which led him to withdrawing from the England squad.
Ethan Ampadu pulled out of Wales’ squad with a back injury of his own, while Davide Zappacosta has recovered from a muscle injury.
Sarri opted to start the game against Cardiff with six players that weren’t called up by their national team, leaving Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante on the bench.
Neither Chelsea nor Brighton have any suspensions to contend with ahead of Wednesday’s match.
Sarri faces the second of a run of three consecutive Premier League games as his side bids to finish in the top-four places, thus allowing them to secure Champions League football next season.
After Kante was left out on Sunday, it left just Azpilicueta having played in every match for the Blues this season. Sarri is likely to rotate several players on Wednesday, bringing back the likes of Hazard and Kante.
He may also be tempted to select Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi as part of his rotations, who are battling for places with more senior stars.
Emerson Palmieri could come in for Marcos Alonso, as the pair contest the left-back spot, but the rest of the back four will likely remain the same.
Pascal Gross is expected to miss out due to a hamstring injury. Florian Andone is also doubtful due to a groin problem.
The match at the Stamford Bridge kicks off at 19:45 BST (16:45 ET) on Wednesday and it won’t be shown live on TV in the UK. In the US, the game is available on NBC Sports.
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