Brighton vs Chelsea LIVE: FA Cup updates, latest team news, TV, prediction

Evening Standard

·29 de janeiro de 2019

Brighton vs Chelsea LIVE: FA Cup updates, latest team news, TV, prediction

One of four FA Cup fourth round ties takes place at the Amex Stadium

Vídeos OneFootball

Chelsea travel to Brighton on Saturday night for an all-Premier League showdown in the FA Cup fourth round. The Blues are aiming to win the trophy for the first time since 2018 after suffering three successive final losses between 2020 and 2022, but this is a tough tie to predict an outcome for.

Enzo Maresca's side comfortably beat League Two outfit Morecambe 5-0 in round three, though two-goal hero that afternoon Joao Felix is no longer with the club after joining AC Milan on transfer deadline day. Meanwhile, Brighton overcame Championship opposition in Norwich City away from home.

However, the Seagulls were thumped 7-0 by Nottingham Forest last time out and manager Fabian Hurzeler has already demanded an immediate reaction from his side ahead the double header against Chelsea with the two sides set to meet in the Premier League next week.

Maresca has addressed the media on Friday to preview the game. You can follow this blog for all the latest team news and build-up ahead of kick-off at the Amex Stadium on Saturday night.

Live updates

1 hour ago

Maresca dismisses Joao Felix reports with hint at Chelsea future

Enzo Maresca insists he was “absolutely” behind Chelsea’s signing of Joao Felix last summer, despite the forward being sent out on loan just six months into a seven-year contract.

Felix arrived for his second stint in west London last August in a £45million switch from Atletico Madrid, but struggled to break into Maresca’s preferred team during the first half of the season.

Reports have since emerged claiming that the new Chelsea coach had not been immediately sold on the deal and, on deadline day this week, Felix secured a loan move to AC Milan for the remainder of the season.

Speaking on Friday for the first time since the window shut, however, Maresca rubbished the idea that the player had been brought in over his head.

“Absolutely yes,” the Italian said, when asked whether he had wanted to sign Felix last summer. “If Joao was here it’s because I wanted to sign Joao.”

Read more here!

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

3 hours ago

Enzo Maresca warns Chelsea fans over sole January signing Mathis Amougou

Enzo Maresca has warned not to expect Mathis Amougou - Chelsea’s sole January signing - to play a significant part in the rest of their campaign, despite the club’s midfield shortage.

Amougou joined the Blues from French side St. Etienne in a £12million deal on deadline day, at the end of what was a quiet window for the club in terms of incomings.

By contrast, six senior players were allowed to leave Stamford Bridge, including midfielders Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei. Renato Veiga, the versatile Portuguese defender who had occasionally been used in midfield by Maresca, was also loaned out to Juventus.

Maresca suddenly looks short on options in the middle of the park, having revealed on Friday that Romeo Lavia is still some way off a return from his latest injury.

It means that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is currently the only fit, senior backup to first-choice pair Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, and Maresca is on record as suggesting he sees the former Leicester man as more of an advanced player.

However, the Chelsea boss insisted that 19-year-old Amougou is being viewed as one for the future.

Read more here!

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

5 hours ago

Maresca hints at Palmer position change after Chelsea injury blows

Enzo Maresca has hinted he could turn to Cole Palmer to solve Chelsea’s striker shortage.

The Blues were struck by a double blow when both Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu were injured during Monday night’s 2-1 win over West Ham.

Guiu is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and while Jackson’s hamstring issue is not as serious, he is a major doubt for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Brighton.

Maresca has Christopher Nkunku as a centre-forward option, but has repeatedly said that the Frenchman’s best position is at No10, where he will likely serve as backup to Palmer during the second half of the season now that Felix has left.

Asked who his fit striking options were, Maresca jokingly pointed at himself before raising the intriguing possibility of using talisman Palmer higher up the pitch.

“We have players,” he said. Christo has played already as a nine. I had Cole playing as a nine in the past [in Manchester City’s youth set-up].

“We can find some different solutions. At the moment, we didn’t decide anything because we are still waiting for Nico and from there, we will see different options.”

Read more here!

REUTERS

14 hours ago

Standard Sport prediction

This is a tough tie to predict. There are usually goals when these two sides meet, just the six in the first-half of the Premier League encounter earlier in the season!

However, with Chelsea facing a striker shortage and Christopher Nkunku not convincing this season, it could be a game where the Blues create a lot of chance but fail to make the most of them.

Now, Brighton are coming off a 7-0 thumping away at Nottingham Forest so an early goal for the visitors might be key. If that happens then Enzo Maresca's side should progress.

Chelsea to win 2-1

18 hours ago

Brighton vs Chelsea: TV channel and live stream for FA Cup game

TV channel: The game will be broadcast on ITV4 which is free to air for UK viewers. Coverage begins at 7.15pm GMT ahead of an 8pm kick-off.

Live stream: ITVX will offer a live stream service.

LIVE coverage: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog, featuring expert analysis from Malik Ouzia at the Amex Stadium.

21 hours ago

Early Brighton team news

Yasin Ayari, Carlos Baleba and Pervis Estupinan are all doubts for Brighton, while Mats Wieffer and Solly March are not yet ready to feature.

Eiran Cashin could be in line to play. The Seagulls are expected to go strong as they look to bounce back from their 7-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Adam Davy/PA Wire

23 hours ago

Early Chelsea team news

Christopher Nkunku looks set to lead the line for Chelsea against Brighton with Marc Guiu ruled out and Nicolas Jackson a major doubt.

The pair were both injured during Monday night’s 2-1 win over West Ham and Maresca issued a downbeat assessment during his pre-match press conference on Friday.

With Joao Felix having been loaned to AC Milan on deadline day, and Mykhailo Mudryk provisionally suspended following a failed drugs test, Maresca suddenly looks short on options in attack.

Enzo Maresca confident Nkunku is ready to step up despite heavy speculation he could be sold in January.

“Against West Ham he played half an hour and hopefully from now on he can more minutes,” Maresca said. “I was with the club altogether, we were sure before the window that Christo was one of the players who are intention was to keep him.”

Romeo Lavia also remains out with a muscle problem, while Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are longer term absentees.

Chelsea predicted XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella; Dewsbury-Hall, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; Nkunku

1 day ago

Enzo Maresca confirms 'bad injury' as Chelsea face striker shortage

Chelsea are facing a striker shortage, with Marc Guiu set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines and Nicolas Jackson also a major doubt for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Brighton.

Guiu and Jackson both went down injured during Monday night’s 2-1 victory over West Ham, but Enzo Maresca’s initial prognosis was that neither player was seriously injured.

However, speaking on Friday ahead of the trip to the Amex, the Italian was in far more pessimistic mood, revealing that young striker Guiu’s injury - believed to be an abductor issue - could rule him out for months.

“Marc Guiu, unfortunately, it’s a bad injury,” the Italian said. “Could be [long-term], yeah. We are still waiting but it doesn’t look a short injury. It’s a long injury. Probably weeks or months.”

Read more here!