Heavy spending Chelsea start their campaign off with a trip to Brighton in one of the two Monday evening fixtures.
Brighton & Hove Albion finished 15th last season, a respectable achievement in Graham Potter’s first season in charge of the club.
Their transfer business has perhaps gone under the radar so far this campaign, signing the likes of Joel Veltman and Adam Lallana, with Ben White back from a successful loan spell at Leeds United.
The pressure is on Frank Lampard this season having spent massively this summer. Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva and Kai Havertz are the four biggest additions and they are expected to challenge for the title.
A transfer ban meant Lampard was given an easy time last term as Chelsea finished fourth and reached an FA Cup final, only to be beaten by London rivals Arsenal.
Match history
Brighton have never beaten Chelsea in a league fixture, with their only success an FA Cup win back in 1933!
They claimed their first ever Premier League point against the Blues last term, with Alireza Jahanbakhsh scoring a contender for goal of the season in the 1-1 draw.
Last five Premier League meetings
Brighton 1 Chelsea 1 – 01/01/20
Chelsea 2 Brighton 0 – 28/09/19
Chelsea 3 Brighton 0 – 03/04/19
Brighton 1 Chelsea 2 – 16/12/18
Brighton 0 Chelsea 4 – 20/01/18
Draw HT / Chelsea FT – 15/4 with 888 Sport
Team news
Adam Lallana is set to make his Brighton debut, whilst the returning Ben White will likely start.
Joel Veltman is likely to start ahead of Tariq Lamptey in the right-back spot.
Mateo Kovacic is suspended, whilst new signings Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech are ruled out.
Timo Werner and Kai Havertz are expected to make their debuts though, with Christian Pulisic a doubt.
Expected starting XI’s
Brighton (4-2-3-1): Ryan; Veltman, White, Dunk, Burn; Propper, Bissouma; Gross, Lallana, Trossard; Maupay
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Kepa; James, Zouma, Rudiger, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho; Havertz, Mount, Hudson-Odoi; Werner
Predictions
Result: Chelsea (13/20 with Bet 365)
Correct Score: 1-2 (8/1 with Bet 365)
Anytime Goalscorer: Timo Werner (19/20 with 888 Sport)
Odds correct at time of article, they are subject to change
