Game Week 31 Predictions: Chelsea to struggle against Brighton?

Game Week 31 Predictions: Chelsea to struggle against Brighton? - Premier League Prediction, Betting tips, Preview, Team news

Chelsea will prioritize Europe but must avoid another deflating result against Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. (Photo credit: Inside Sport)

 

Chelsea vs. Brighton

Stamford Bridge Stadium

3:00pm

Chelsea will host Brighton on Saturday with one eye fixed on the all-important midweek game against Real Madrid, but can the Blues afford to put all their fragile eggs in the Champions League basket?

Frank Lampard has categorically asked fans that don’t believe in the team to stay back at home as he only wants positive energy around the team, but if he wants fans to believe, a strong performance and a convincing result against the Seagulls are a good way to earn that.

Brighton suffered a defeat at Tottenham last weekend and later received emissaries from the referee’s board to apologise for the misgivings of the video assistant referees, who failed to spot any of the wrong calls against the Seagulls last weekend.

Kaoru Mitoma was denied a goal, and the same player was denied a blatant penalty call after Pierre-Emile Hojberg brought him down in the Spurs box.

Brighton went on to lose 2-1, but the result might have been different had the officiating been better.

Chelsea currently sits in eleventh place on the log, an embarrassment to the quality in the squad, and it’s the reason Graham Potter was booted out.

The club hierarchy has asked for time; it’s a long-term project, but could they have persisted a little bit with the former Brighton man?

Brighton still has Europe in their sights, and a win at Chelsea could enhance that, especially with Aston Villa going to St. James’s Park to entertain Newcastle, which affords the Seagulls the opportunity to close the gap on either of the teams or both while still having two games in hand on Unai Emery’s team and Spurs.

Chelsea will be expected to rest players like they did last weekend, but the best advice is to drive fans’ support with a win and the feel-good factor.

Brighton is not a small fry in the context of the current season, and they must be respected.

The visitors will be without their manager, who serves a one-match ban following a melee in the game against Spurs, but they’re still favourites to shock their hosts at Stamford Bridge Stadium.

Mitoma, Solly March, and Mac Allister are the players to watch in the away end.

Chelsea can trust Mykhalo Mudryk and Joao Felix from the start; Pierre Emerick Aubameyang could be immense from the start since he’s not eligible to face Real Madrid having been left out of the squad in Europe.

It’s an opportunity to erase the memories of the first leg that ended in a whitewash against Chelsea in Potter’s return to the Amex.

Verdict: Brighton to win or draw