Chelsea have won each of their last four meetings with Brighton, despite being winless in five encounters previously. The Seagulls have won only one of their 11 home games against the Blues since 1933.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea Preview
Chelsea are eight times FA Cup winners, featuring in five of the last eight finals, reaching at least the semis on 12 occasions since 2006. If they're to make another deep run this year, they'll need to come through a tricky fourth-round tie.
On Monday night, Enzo Maresca's men fought back from a goal down to beat West Ham 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, with Pedro Neto lashing home an equaliser, before Cole Palmer's cross ten minutes later took a wicked deflection and snatched victory.
That's back-to-back home wins for the Blues, albeit it is only their second victory in eight Premier League games, although it was enough to see them reclaim fourth place.
Meanwhile, in the FA Cup, Chelsea began their quest for silverware by demolishing Morecambe 5-0 in the previous round; Tosin Adarabioyo and João Félix both bagging braces, while Christopher Nkunku was also on target.
This though will be a significantly sterner test, with this the first of two trips to Sussex in just seven days, also visiting the Amex on Valentine's night this forthcoming Friday.
Thus, Brighton & Hove Albion will get two attempts to defeat Chelsea, something their supporters are rather eager to do, given all the players, coaches and executive staff that have all departed for West London in recent seasons.
Well, Fabian Hürzeler will be demanding a reaction from his team, after the Seagulls were embarrassingly steamrollered 7-0 by Nottingham Forest a week ago, the Albion suffering their heaviest league defeat since 1958.
That's back-to-back Premier League loses for Brighton, also beaten by Everton a week earlier, meaning they've won just two of their last 12, dropping down to tenth, albeit a mere three points adrift the potential European positions.
Similar to their visitors, the Seagulls cruised through their round three tie, swatting aside Norwich 4-0, with Georginio Rutter the scorer of a brace at Carrow Road. Here however, given Brighton's recent form, most will make Chelsea firm favourites to progress by the South Coast.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea Head-to-Head Record
- Matches Played: 24.
- Brighton & Hove Albion Wins: 3. Draws: 5. Chelsea Wins: 16.
Brighton & Hove Albion Team News
Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Igor, Pervis Estupiñán, Mats Wieffer, Carlos Baleba, Yasin Ayari, James Milner and third round scorer Solly March are all injured, limiting Fabian Hürzeler's options.
In goal, back-up Jason Steele started in the previous round at Norwich, but has since suffered a shoulder injury, so usual number one Bart Verbruggen will be donning the gloves.
Diego Gómez could start for the first time since arriving from Inter Miami, while Matt O'Riley could also come in, adding numbers to midfielder, after Jack Hinshelwood was left rather isolated at the City Ground during the 7-0 demolition.
Brighton & Hove Albion predicted lineup vs Chelsea: (4-4-1-1): Verbruggen; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke, Lamptey; Hinshelwood, Gómez, Minteh, Mitoma, Rutter; João Pedro.
Brighton & Hove Albion Players to Watch vs Chelsea
Kaoru Mitoma has five goals to his name this season and, after Brighton rejected two enormous bids from Al-Nassr for his services, can the Japanese winger score against Chelsea for the first time, with this set to be his sixth attempt?
Chelsea Team News
Enzo Maresca has so far rotated heavily in the cup competitions and Europe, although the January departures of Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei and João Félix do leave him with a rather less bloated squad.
In the meantime, Wesley Fofana, Benoît Badiashile and Roméo Lavia are injured. Maresca's choice of goalkeeper will be interesting; Filip Jörgensen got the nod on Monday, following a catalogue of shaky performances by Robert Sánchez.
Youngsters Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George as well as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu are amongst the squad players hoping to see some minutes here; the aforementioned Sánchez as well as Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella and Moisés Caicedo could all face their former club.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Brighton & Hove Albion: (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Nkunku, Sancho; Guiu.
Chelsea Player to Watch vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Christopher Nkunku barely ever features in the Premier League, but has 13 goals to his name this season, 11 of which have come in cup competitions, bagging the winner when Chelsea most-recently visited Brighton in May.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea Prediction
We are backing Chelsea for victory in Sussex on Saturday night. Brighton's form has fallen off a cliff in recent weeks, so we're backing the Blues to simply have too much quality: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 Chelsea.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea FAQs - FA Cup
How to watch Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea FA Cup game on TV channel?
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea FA Cup game will be available on the following TV channels;
- UK: ITV4
- USA: ESPN+
- Canada: Sportsnet Now Plus
How to watch Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea FA Cup game on live streaming?
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea FA Cup game will be available on the following streaming services;
- UK: ITVX
- USA: ESPN+
- Canada: Sportsnet Now Plus
What is the date and kick-off time for Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea in the FA Cup?
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea takes place on Saturday 8 February 2025, with kick off at 20:00 (GMT), 15:00 (EDT) & 12:00 (PST).