Chelsea vs Brighton LIVE Premier League Match
Frank Lampard makes his return to Stamford Bridge as Chelsea boss for today’s Premier League game against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Since replacing Graham Potter on an interim basis until the end of the season, Lampard has overseen a 1-0 loss at Wolves and a 2-0 midweek defeat at Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Chelsea goes in search of a much-needed lift in this game. It’s been two defeats and no goals scored since Frank Lampard took charge on an interim basis, with the Blues legend unable to inspire an immediate bounce at the club.
The Premier League campaign is already a write-off for Chelsea, so the focus will be on the Champions League second-leg clash with Real Madrid in midweek.
The Blues have a two-goal deficit to overturn in that match, so the likes of N’Golo Kane, Thiago Silva and Joao Felix are rested, with Denis Zakaria and Christian Pulisic among those who get the chance to impress.
Brighton suffered a frustrating afternoon in London last week when losing to Tottenham, but will be looking to put that right here.
The Seagulls sit seventh in the table after a brilliant campaign to date, and European football next season is very much on the cards. Follow all the action with Infoexpert24.com’s LIVE blog below:
Starting XI: Kepa, Chalobah, Fofana, Badiashile, Chilwell, Fernandez, Gallagher, Zakaria, Pulisic, Mudryk, Sterling
Subs: Mendy, Kovacic, Aubameyang, Felix, Mount, Ziyech, James, Azpilicueta, Cucurella.
Starting XI: Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, Estupinan, Gross, Caicedo, March, Mac Allister, Mitoma, Ferguson.
Subs: Welbeck, Enciso, Undav, Gilmour, Van Hecke, McGill, Buonanotte, Offiah, Moran.
Plenty of the criticism surrounding a Chelsea side that is languishing in 11th in the Premier League table has centred upon owner Todd Boehly.
Since taking the reigns from Roman Abrahmovic, the American billionaire has sacked Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter and spurged hundreds of millions in transfers.
It creates the impression of a scattergun operation with no direction, but Lampard sought to paint a different picture in his programme notes.
Five games without a win now for Chelsea, who have not scored in the four matches they’ve played since the international break.
Obviously Lampard is thinking about the Real Madrid clash in midweek, but this is still an important game for the Blues in terms of trying to find some much-needed confidence.
Or just a goal. A goal would do.
The Blues host Real Madrid next in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal o the 19th of April as they look to overturn a 2-0 deficit at home.
Lampard’s men then return to Premier League action when they host Brentford on the 27th of April before travelling to the Emirates Stadium to face league leaders Arsenal on the 3rd of May.
Teams are out onto the pitch, Kepa the man with the Chelsea armband this afternoon.
Cucurella glances over to his former team-mates, Dunk not exactly giving him a warm look back.
Mudryk left wing, Sterling false 9 and Pulisic on the right wing.
It looks like a 4-4-2 when Chelsea press without the ball but 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with it. Chalobah at right back.
3 mins: Relatively low-key start to the match, Brighton already look very confident when they come forward though.
Mitoma slides it wide to Estupinan, cross to the near post and Mac Allister turns the effort into the side-netting from a tight angle.
5 mins: A very early yellow card for Veltman, as Mudryk causes him a whole world of problem.
The winger burns past him, cuts inside and is basically rugby-tackled to the floor as Veltman loses his balance. Much more like it from Mudryk, haven’t seen enough of that since his move.
Chilwell swings the free-kick in, well-defended by Brighton.
7 mins: Mudryk has started really well, pounces on a loose pass and whips a cross into the six-yard box. Hacked behind for a corner by Dunk.
Sanchez punches it out to Mudryk, tries his luck from distance on his right foot. Always flying wide.
8 mins: Big chance!
Mitoma drives forward on the left, beats Chalobah far too easily as he skips into the box.
Cut back for Mac Allister, in all sorts of space and he passes the effort wide of the far post.
10 mins: And now Ferguson hits the woodwork!
Picks the ball up on the edge of the box, allowed to turn and he curls an effort that smacks back off the bar.
13 mins: Brighton so sharp in attack. Chelsea looking very vulnerable, for all they’ve had good moments going forward too.
Ferguson drops in again, looks to feed it wide to Mitoma but shanks the wide straight out of play.
CHELSEA TAKE THE LEAD!
Very fortunate but they don’t care! Mudryk brings the ball forward, slides the pass inside to Gallagher and he gets the shot away from 20 yards out.
Takes a huge deflection off Dunk and spins beyond Sanchez.
16 mins: Brighton have seen plenty of the ball early on, Chelsea happy to let their centre-backs have it. Imagine we’ll see even more of that now.
The Blues are very nearly caught out at the back, Zakaria has to slide in with Mac Allister lurking.
19 mins: Gross can drive towards the Chelsea box, plenty of space for a shot but opts for a cute reverse pass instead. Doesn’t come off.
Brighton win it back, Estupinan clips a cross in but Kepa is off his line confidently to claim.
21 mins: Gross makes the run in behind this time, March unable to pick him out.
Just before that, Brighton had an optimistic penalty appeal as Pulisic tracked back with Estupinan. Ball did hit his arm, but VAR not interested at all.
24 mins: Real waste from Pulisic, in the Brighton box this time.
Estupinan slides in to cut out Sterling’s pass through, the American beats him though and has four players to pick out in the box.
Instead lashes it high over everyone and away to safety.
26 mins: March in space 25 yards out… whipped over the bar.
Here come Brighton again though, it’s a superb run from Mitoma as he jinks into the Chelsea box. Big chance, big save!
Kepa denies the winger, who has been sensational so far this afternoon.
28 mins: Brighton forced into an early change. Veltman, on a yellow card, has gone down injured and he won’t be able to continue. Enciso the man to replace him.
Looks like Gross has shifted to right-back, he’s now up against Mudryk. Best of luck.
29 mins: Guardiola called Brighton the best team in the world at building play up from the back… you can see why.
They’re almost caught on the edge of their own box, but in a matter of seconds they’re up the pitch. Mitoma with another chance, poked wide of the far post.
31 mins: Brighton have been so, so good. The better side by a mile but nothing to show for it.
Mac Allister with great footwork on the edge of the box, works the space for a shot. Not enough bend on the shot, flies wide.
Cucurella meanwhile is warming up in front of the away fans. He’s not particularly popular, we’ll leave it at that.
33 mins: Chalobah JUST about does enough in the box. Mitoma is in behind him again, glorious first touch but the Chelsea man slides in and flicks the ball away.
That was very, very nearly a penalty, but good defending in the end.
34 mins: Another Brighton chance!
Cross stood up to the back post, Ferguson powers a header at goal and Kepa turns it over the bar brilliantly.
Both have stayed down, going to need some treatment.
37 mins: Kepa fine to continue, Ferguson looks in a fair bit of pain still as he limps off the pitch but he’s going to try and carry on.
Eventually, back underway, March swings the corner in and it’s booted away by Chilwell at the near post.
In fact, Ferguson won’t be continuing. Welbeck getting ready on the touchline.
39 mins: A rare Chelsea attack! Fofana of all people bursts away down the right, all sorts of space for him out wide.
Clips the cross to the back post, Sterling… heads it the wrong way. Assume he was trying to nod it down for Mudryk, but got it all wrong.
Welbeck is now on to replace Ferguson, second change Brighton have been forced into.
BRIGHTON LEVEL!
To say that’s deserved would be a huge understatement. Pretty much his first touch since coming on.
Gross swings the cross in, Welbeck there at the back post and he heads past a motionless Kepa.
44 mins: Brighton continue to push after that goal, if anyone’s going to score before half-time it looks like being them.
Superb display from the Seagulls this afternoon, Chelsea haven’t been able to get near them for must of the match.
45 mins: Gallagher into the book for a late challenge on Caicedo. Completely pointless yellow card to pick up.
Four minutes added on at the end of the first half, after those injury stoppages.
45+2 mins: Mac Allister fires at goal from distance, loops away for a corner. Not far away from flying into the top corner.
Chalobah hammers the ball up the pitch, Chelsea very keen to hear the half-time whistle.
And that is half-time. Better from Chelsea right on the whistle, Pulisic heads against the post.
Brighton completely dominant, have created so many chances but they somehow go in level.
Chelsea scored with a rare attack, needing the help of a deflection. They’ve been really poor, fortunate not to be a couple of goals behind.
48 mins: Well, more of the same since the break. Brighton having all of the ball.
Enciso has space outside the box, fires straight at Kepa. Chelsea lose it immediately, Welbeck can get a shot away of his own and again it’s comfortable for the goalkeeper.
50 mins: Chelsea cannot live with Brighton, it’s fairly obvious by now. Estupinan gets in behind, looks to hammer the ball across the face of goal and it’s blocked behind for a corner.
Initially cleared, Gross clips the ball back in but it’s easy for Kepa to claim.
52 mins: Chalobah goes in late on Estupinan, loses his balance so it looks worse than it is. Earns himself a yellow card.
Mitoma will enjoy running at him even more now, Chelsea man has to be very careful in the next 40 minutes.
54 mins: It is incredible how one-sided this match is.
Enciso picked out by Mitoma, shot across goal is parried out by Kepa. Another effort comes in, blocked by Welbeck who couldn’t get out of the way.
Chelsea hanging on for dear life.
57 mins: Lampard has seen enough, as Mitoma slides the pass inside and Welbeck has an effort blocked. Chelsea haven’t had a kick since the break.
Time for a quadruple change! Ziyech, Kovacic, Felix and James are on, Pulisic, Fernandez, Fofana and Sterling all make way.
60 mins: Estupinan with so much space 25 yards out, drags a shot wide of the far post. The shot count has ticked beyond 20 for Brighton now, with half an hour to go.
HUGE CHANCE! This is crazy. Encisco somehow beats James to the ball, drives into the box. Fires against the post, Welbeck then misses an open goal from the rebound.
63 mins: Brighton would have had more difficult training sessions than this.
Mitoma in behind, pokes an effort at goal but Kepa smothers the shot. Would be unbelievable if Chelsea got something from this match.
Shot count now 22-3 in Brighton’s favour.
66 mins: Chelsea have done something!
Mudryk denied by Sanchez, and Brighton are then robbed on the edge of their area. Kovacic looks to be in, but Dunk slides in to deny him.
The crowd have woken up too now.
68 mins: James struggling against Mitoma, just as Chalobah did in the first hour.
Right-back does well to get back just in time, pokes the ball behind for a corner as Mitoma looked to be in.
STUNNING!
Well that’s been coming, to put it mildly.
Enciso not closed down, lets fly from distance and it is hammered into the top corner. Kepa doesn’t have a chance.
72 mins: It’s taken 24 shots, but Brighton finally have the lead they deserved.
Welbeck down on the edge of the box, thinks he should have a free-kick. Whistle does go… for offside.
74 mins: Welbeck down holding his hand, looks to be in a fair bit of pain.
Lampard turns to his bench for the final time. Mount on for the final 15 minutes or so to replace Zakaria.
77 mins: Mudryk blasts the ball straight out of play. It was supposed to be a pass. This has been a mess from Chelsea this afternoon.
Sanchez into the book for timewasting, no idea why he’s bothering. Brighton are cutting Chelsea apart at will.
79 mins: Mudryk gets away from the Brighton defence, cut back deflects into the path of Mount.
Off balance, 25 yards out and he balloons an effort high into the stands.
82 mins: Chelsea having a much better spell, though that’s an incredible low bar.
Felix and Mudryk nearly combine, but Dunk gets a good header in. Mudryk has probably been Chelsea’s best player, but he’s just gone down off the ball.
They’ve got no changes left to make…
86 mins: Webster is going to be forced off with injury, he’s limping off. Mudryk fine to continue by the way, not sure what his issue was when going down.
Van Hecke is on for the Seagulls.
88 mins: Great work from James out wide, fires a low cross into the six-yard box. Nobody there in a blue shirt for a tap-in.
Chance for Chelsea to put the ball back in though, Gross has given away a free-kick right on the byline.
90 mins: Six minutes added on.
Chelsea having more of the ball now, but Brighton still look solid in their shape. Going to need something special from the hosts.
90+3 mins: Enciso the latest Brighton player to go down with cramp, home fans getting more and more annoyed with the timewasting going on.
Imagine there could be another minute or so added on to these six.
90+4 mins: Mudryk picks the ball up on the halfway line and just runs at the Brighton defence.
Goes inside, onto his right foot and tries his luck from a fair distance out. Just rises over the bar.
The Seagulls do the double over Chelsea!
More than deserved too, they’ve been absolutely superb at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea woeful, aside from a decent first ten minutes and an ok final five.
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