Chelsea vs. Brighton predictions: Is today the day for a first clean sheet?
Chelsea had their first home win of the season on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup. Might they earn their first Premier League home win, and perhaps even a clean sheet?
Clearly, Chelsea know how to scores goals this season. Against Grimsby Town, they managed to contain the visitors to only one. If they could do that against Brighton, it would be progress defensively and maybe even enough to get them into a positive goal differential. Our writers predict that might be just a bit of a stretch.
Scott Brant: Chelsea 2 – 1 Brighton. I would like to be more optimistic about this scoreline, but Brighton are a sneaky bunch. They will find a way to spoil the clean sheet. With the return of Tammy Abraham from a needed rest, I expect him to continue to score. He’ll score a brace, in fact, and Chelsea get the three points.
Barrett Rouen: 2 – 1. The Blues still won’t keep a clean sheet, and the gulf in quality when it comes to opponents in matches played in quick succession is always a worry. Brighton will be tough and up for it. Chelsea have to manage their expectations and not come in with the wrong mentality. The defending will be better, but will be let down by concentration – again – even as Chelsea come out on top. Tammy Abraham to score.
Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 3 – 0. Chelsea has been gathering experience over the past week. They have to keep a clean sheet at some point in their careers.
Brighton would love to sit back and defend “knowing” they will eventually get a goal or two. This means Chelsea will have a lot of the ball, and will have to do a lot of good things with it to put the game out of the Seagulls’ reach. Tammy Abraham will have a brace and Christian Pulisic a goal.
Kevin Peacock: 3 – 1. Will Chelsea keep a clean sheet? Don’t care. Will Chelsea win? Of course, they will.
The home results in the league have been disappointing so far this season, even if the style of play hasn’t. Following the midweek League Cup win the kindergarten kids have returned to the nursery, allowing the bigger kids back in the playground where we expect them to perform.
The second-half performance against Liverpool last week was impressive, despite the defeat, and Frank Lampard’s men will go into the game confidently. Their propensity to concede at set-pieces is likely to continue for the foreseeable future so look for a Brighton goal. However, in Tambraham, Mason Mount and now Fikayo Tomori, the Blues have goals from back to front. Goals from Abraham, Willian and Marcos Alonso.
Nate Hofmann: 3 – 1. I refuse to predict a clean sheet until I see one with my own eyes, but it’s hard to see Brighton putting up much of a fight, especially after their disappointing loss to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup. Like Chelsea, they rested most of their usual starters, so Frank Lampard and Graham Potter should both be able to pick their ideal lineups.
light. Talking tactics. Chelsea and Brighton reignite a Championship managerial mash-up
Chelsea have spent the first several weeks of the season limping into and out of matches, so this recovered and recharged side should have the fire power to blow Brighton off the pitch. A fully fit Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham will be the last thing the Seagulls want to see, and a similarly healthy N’Golo Kante should be there to stymie whatever attacking impetus they manage to muster.
Still, Chelsea find a way to concede one.
Varun Dani: 4 – 0. The injury list gradually shortening and rotation in the midweek game means most of the starting XI will be fresh for this one. The players are understanding Lampard’s system better with each passing week, so expect them to thrive against a Brighton team low on confidence. Fikayo Tomori will lead from the back to get the first clean sheet and Abraham, after a two game mini-drought, will get the goals.
N’Golo Kante will be everywhere, as usual, to ensure Chelsea earn their first league win at Stamford Bridge.
Next. Christian Pulisic getting everything he needs, starting with minutes. dark
Abhishek Pancholi: 4 – 1. I’ve given up on predicting clean sheets for this Chelsea side. Thankfully, things are much better at the other end of the pitch. Tammy Abraham will bag another brace and Christian Pulisic will get off the mark with a neat finish. That will be enough to withstand late pressure from the Seagulls.