Chelsea vs Brighton LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction today

Chelsea vs Brighton LIVE!

Chelsea will be out to continue their fine beginning to the Enzo Maresca era as they welcome Brighton to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League this afternoon. Despite another eventful summer the Blues have picked up from where they left off at the end of the short-lived Mauricio Pochettino reign, winning three of their first five top-flight matches of the season to go into the weekend sitting fifth and only three points off top spot.

Consecutive wins over Bournemouth and West Ham were followed by a Carabao Cup thrashing of League Two leaders Barrow in midweek, in which Maresca was able to utilise his large squad and make wholesale changes to keep key players fresh. Today they welcome a Brighton team to west London who came flying out of the blocks under new boss Fabian Hurzeler and remain unbeaten this term, but have just seen their progress slowed somewhat by a run of three consecutive draws before a narrow cup win over Wolves.

The absence of Joao Pedro is a real blow for the Seagulls, who were beaten three times by Chelsea last season and have won just one of their last 11 away games against them. Follow Chelsea vs Brighton live below!

Chelsea vs Brighton latest news

• Kick-off: 3pm BST | Stamford Bridge

• How to watch: Not on TV in UK

• Chelsea team news: Lavia set to return

• Brighton team news: Joao Pedro ruled out

• Score prediction

Brighton to wear black armbands

14:04 , Peter Fitzpatrick

The Seagulls will honour their former manager, Barry Lloyd, who has sadly passed away at the age of 75.

Lloyd managed the club from 1987 to 1993, leading them to promotion from the third tier and almost to the top flight, and later became chief scout.

He also made 10 appearances for Chelsea between 1966 and 1968.

Team news in full

13:55 , Peter Fitzpatrick

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson

Subs: Jorgensen, Disase, Tosin, Veiga, Lavia, Neto, Mudryk, Felix, Nkunku

Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan; Wieffer, Baleba; Hinshelwood, Rutter, Mitoma; Welbeck

Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Igor, Enciso, Moder, Minteh, Ayari, Samuels, Ferguson

Brighton XI

13:47 , Peter Fitzpatrick

And the Seagulls!

Chelsea XI

13:45 , Peter Fitzpatrick

Here’s how the Blues line up!

Team news coming soon

13:40 , Peter Fitzpatrick

We should have team news in the next five minutes or so.

Jackson looking to continue his hot streak

13:35 , Peter Fitzpatrick

Nicolas Jackson has taken a lot of stick since his move to the Blues last summer, but he is silencing his critics by the week.

In his last 13 league games, he has 13 goal involvements (9 goals, 4 assists), one more than he managed in his first 27 (9 goals, 3 assists).

Will he make 14 (or more) from 14 today?

Brighton's day to remember at the Bridge

13:19 , Peter Fitzpatrick

It might feel much longer ago given Frank Lampard was in interim charge of Chelsea, but it was only in April of last year when Brighton won for the first time at Stamford Bridge.

And what a way to do it.

Huerzeler praises Chelsea keeper Sanchez

13:05 , Peter Fitzpatrick

Chelsea’s other former Brighton star, Robert Sanchez, has the deepest connection with the Seagulls, having joined them as a 15 year old.

His old club’s current boss Fabian Huerzeler pinpointed the Spanish keeper when asked about how he plans to stop Chelsea.

“Of course you have to analyse them by what they're doing tactically on the pitch and they have very good solutions.”

“They have a great goalkeeper who starts trying to build up the game from the back, always with this pressure.”

“He's a very good footballer player and then of course they have good positioning in possession, they are very fluent.”

Maresca makes honest admission over ex-Brighton stars

12:56 , Peter Fitzpatrick

It is likely that three ex-Brighton players, and four if you include former loanee Levi Colwill, will start for Chelsea today.

Enzo Maresca spoke on two of them, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella, both of whom have started every Premier League game this season.

The Italian head coach “absolutely” wants to see more from Caicedo, saying: "In this moment for us, he’s a very important player, he’s doing well, especially off the ball. But he can do much, much, much better on the ball and be more brave, breaking lines.

“He is doing very well, but he can be even better on the ball."

On Cucurella, who left Brighton in 2022 after just one season on the south coast, Maresca was full of praise.

"Marc is a very intelligent player," Against Bournemouth he played like an attacking midfielder, against West Ham he played like a holding midfielder.”

"He is a versatile player and gives us different options. I don’t think the price should be a problem. Sometimes it can put them under pressure and it can be a big problem."

Chelsea vs Brighton prediction

12:45 , George Flood

This is a big test of Chelsea’s progress, given Brighton are unbeaten thus far this season.

The Seagulls would bite your hand off for a point now, but are capable of more.

Enzo Maresca knows that keeping a clean sheet will be key in a fixture which has usually thrown up a few goals.

Draw, 1-1.

Brighton team news

12:43 , George Flood

Brighton are missing key striker Joao Pedro this afternoon after the Brazilian was hurt after coming on in the 2-2 home draw with Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Summer signing Matt O’Riley is still sidelined, along with James Milner and Solly March.

However, £25m arrival Brajan Gruda could be in line for a Seagulls debut having shaken off an unspecified issue.

Chelsea team news

12:40 , George Flood

Chelsea are set to welcome back Romeo Lavia this afternoon after Enzo Maresca declared the injury-plagued Belgian midfielder fit to return following a hamstring injury.

However, captain Reece James remains sidelined with his latest hamstring complaint and is the Blues’ only known absentee as things stand other than teenage midfielder Omari Kellyman.

Malo Gusto returned from injury with 45 minutes against Barrow, a game in which Maresca made wholesale changes and utilised his large squad in order to keep key players fresh.

How to watch Chelsea vs Brighton

12:32 , George Flood

TV channel and live stream: Today’s game will not be broadcast live in the UK as it takes place during the 3pm Saturday afternoon blackout still imposed across English football.

Free highlights: Match of the Day will show highlights when it airs at 10.30pm on BBC One tonight.

Chelsea vs Brighton live

12:30 , George Flood

Good afternoon and welcome to Standard Sport’s live coverage of Chelsea vs Brighton in the Premier League.

Enzo Maresca will be seeking his first home top-flight win in charge of the Blues today to continue the feel-good factor after a promising start to another new era in west London that continued with last weekend’s easy win at West Ham and the midweek Carabao Cup thrashing of fourth-tier Barrow.

They could be in for a tough test against unbeaten Brighton, who look a force to be reckoned with again under new boss Fabian Hurzeler though had been held to three successive draws before edging out Wolves in the cup on Wednesday.

Kick-off today is at 3pm BST, so stay tuned for all the latest team news, match build-up and live updates, including expert analysis from Standard Sport’s Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge.