Chelsea XI vs. Brighton—Blues Boosted by Swift Injury Recovery: Injury News, Predicted Lineup
Chelsea’s Champions League hopes don’t solely rely on claiming a top-five Premier League finish, but the Blues’ wretched run of form means they’re also at risk on missing out on the back door route.
Finishing sixth would be enough to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition next season should Aston Villa end up finishing fifth and winning the Europa League. However, a four-game losing run without scoring a goal means Chelsea are now checking over their shoulders rather than looking ahead.
A potential usurper is up next for the under-pressure Liam Rosenior, whose team travel down to the south coast and take on spiritual feeder club Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Seagulls are one of the division’s form teams and enter Tuesday’s clash just a point adrift of the Blues.
Estevao’s Season Potentially Over
Estêvão picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend. / Izzy Poles/AMA/Getty Images
With just a few weeks of the season remaining, there’s a very good chance that Estêvão may not feature again until the World Cup this summer. The Brazilian starlet suffered a hamstring injury in Saturday’s defeat to Man Utd, and was in tears at the half-time interval.
His absence should mean Enzo Fernández starts in a more advanced midfield role, with Rosenior suggesting the Argentine was merely dealing with cramp late on against the Red Devils when he was forced off.
Chelsea are also hopeful that João Pedro will make a swift recovery from the thigh injury that ruled him out at the weekend.
Trevoh Chalobah was back in action on Saturday, but Reece James still isn’t ready to make his return. The Blues are also without Levi Colwill, Jamie Gittens and goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen.
- ⚠️ Key absentees, doubts: Reece James, Levi Colwill, Jamie Gittens, Filip Jörgensen, Mykhailo Mudryk, Estêvão, João Pedro, Enzo Fernández.
- 🔢 Predicted formation: 4-2-3-1
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Brighton
João Pedro returns to face his former club. / FotMob
GK: Robert Sánchez —One of several ex-Brighton players facing their former club in the week, Sánchez remains in goal by default as a result of Jörgensen’s continued absence.
RB: Malo Gusto —Reece James’s injury setback has derailed Chelsea’s domestic campaign. The Blues sorely need their captain back as soon as possible, but Gusto will most likely continue at right back on Tuesday.
CB: Wesley Fofana —Fofana was busy in both boxes at the weekend, and it was his temporary removal from proceedings that allowed Matheus Cunha to break the deadlock and win the game for Man Utd.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah —The Englishman has just a few games to state his case to Thomas Tuchel and make England’s World Cup squad. Chalobah was used off the bench against United after recovering from injury.
LB: Marc Cucurella —Another former Seagull, Cucurella is evidently frustrated with Chelsea’s demise under Rosenior, and he may be among the elder statesmen the club risks losing this summer.
DM: Andrey Santos —Santos has often performed a key tactical function for Rosenior’s side, and his absence was a surprise at the weekend. He should come back into the team at the Amex.
DM: Moisés Caicedo —The air has seemingly been sapped out of Caicedo, who hasn’t performed with the same snap and vigor that defines his best form in recent weeks.
RW: Cole Palmer —Palmer has gone cold. The English playmaker has floundered for weeks, struggling to assert himself within Rosenior‘s framework.
AM: Enzo Fernández —With Palmer moving wide in Estêvão’s absence, Fernández, who missed Chelsea’s best chance of Saturday’s defeat, will likely move up and occupy the No. 10 role.
LW: Pedro Neto —Neto has had success in the cup competitions, but he hasn’t scored a Premier League goal since early December. Two of his crosses resulted in Chelsea hitting the woodwork at the weekend.
ST: João Pedro —Liam Delap’s woes continued against Man Utd, with the summer addition failing to add to his solitary Premier League goal for the Blues. Pedro’s thigh injury is only thought to be minor, so he could come back in right away to lead the line again.
