Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea
Chelsea have hit quite a rough patch in recent weeks. Frank Lampard’s men have been racking up the losses in the Premier League at an alarming rate, which has seen their top-four spot under threat.
The Blues will now look to put all of that behind them and begin 2020 with a bang as they face Brighton on the first day of the New Year.
The Seagulls scored a much-needed victory at home against Bournemouth, which snapped a four-match winless run.
The Premier League 2019 betting odds are much closer than usual given Chelsea’s recent struggles, so the Seagulls will like their chances of claiming their first-ever points against the Londoners.
Talking Points
Brighton once again cash in at the Amex
Brighton suffered a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham on Boxing Day, which prolonged their disastrous run of poor form. They’d now gone four straight games without victory (two draws, two losses) and had gone winless in seven of their last eight with five defeats, with their shock 2-1 away win at Arsenal sandwiched in between.
However, they finally put an end to that horrific skid by beating Bournemouth at home, 2-0. They went ahead through a third-minute goal from Alireza Jahanbaksh and Aaron Mooy sealed all three points 11 minutes from time.
It was the first clean sheet Brighton had kept in eight matches. Their last clean sheet came all the way back at the start of November with a 2-0 home win over Norwich.
The Seagulls have been significantly better at home this season. They’ve picked up four of their six wins thus far at the Amex and have scored 14 of their 24 goals.
They had not won their last three home games prior to beating Bournemouth, but they faced tough games against Leicester, Wolves, and Sheffield United, who are all inside the top eight at the moment.
Their away record, in comparison, has been quite poor. They’ve lost six of their 10 away matches, with two wins and two draws. Their away record, with just eight points picked up, is 16th in the entire league.
Chelsea can’t find the right combination
Chelsea’s recent Premier League 2019 results do not make for pleasant reading. Prior to their match at Arsenal, the Blues had lost five of their last seven league matches, which comes on the heels of six consecutive victories.
It seemed as if they had turned the corner following a fine 2-0 win away to Tottenham. But they sank right back down after a 2-0 home defeat to Southampton. It was another disappointing effort for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where they’ve lost three of their last four games at their home ground without even scoring a goal.
Frank Lampard is desperately trying to find a solution to Chelsea’s current problems. He stuck with the back-three he played in the Tottenham win against the Saints, but it wasn’t nearly as effective.
But on the bright side, Mateo Kovacic is eligible to return in midfield after serving a one-match suspension against Southampton, while Mason Mount could be drafted back into the starting XI.
Christian Pulisic is also waiting in the wings. The American hasn’t started in the last couple of matches and should be relatively fresh. If he doesn’t pick up a knock against Arsenal, he should be in strong contention to start against Brighton.
History
Chelsea have had Brighton’s number ever since the Seagulls made their way into the Premier League. The Blues have won all five of their league encounters, with Brighton scoring just a single goal in those five games.
That includes their first meeting this season at Stamford Bridge. Two second-half goals from Jorginho and Willian saw Chelsea come away with a comfortable 2-0 win.
Betting Tip
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Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea | Chelsea 1X2 @ 1.96 |
| January 01, 20:30 (GMT+8) |
SBOBET odds have Chelsea favoured at 1.96 as the away side, with Brighton a 3.75 home underdog. Meanwhile, a draw is priced at 3.40.
It’s true that Brighton have been much more competitive at home and could potentially present some problems. But I’m not going to overthink this match. Chelsea are simply a superior side despite their recent slide.
It’s simply a matter of time before they get back on track, and I believe that Brighton is just the opponent that can help them accomplish that goal. The potential reinsertion of Pulisic, in particular, is an obvious card that Lampard can play and could make a major difference.
Look for the Blues to beat the Seagulls and pick up some valuable three points away from home.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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