CHELSEA have finally found some consistency as the Premier League campaign draws to a close and another victory on the road at Brighton would leave them in a great position to qualify for Europe.
It looked like the Blues would end another poor campaign on a downer when they fell 2-0 down at Aston Villa last month, just days after a 5-0 thrashing by Arsenal.
But they battled backed to draw that game and have since won three matches in a row to move up to seventh place, with only goal difference keeping them out of the European places.
Brighton and Hove Albion qualified for Europe for the first time in their history last term but this campaign has been more patchy and they head into this game with nothing to play for in 10th place.
How the bookies view it: In-form Blues the favourites
With Chelsea hitting their stride they are Bet365's 21/20 favourites, with Brighton and Hove Albion the 11/5 outsiders. The stalemate pays 3/1.
Recent head to head: Chelsea chasing Seagulls hat-trick
These sides have met twice already this season, with Chelsea winning 1-0 at home in the League Cup before repeating the trick with a 3-2 triumph in the league as a bet landed for our man Gabriel. But Brighton had been something of a bogey team before that, going five games without defeat in this fixture.
Players to watch: Palmer out to catch the eye
After a spell that saw him score 11 times in just six games, Cole Palmer has scored only once in his last five. But he's still been a key man and provided a stunning assist at the weekend. Palmer will want to impress England boss Gareth Southgate ahead of the Euros and is 5/2 for another assist here.
Since battering Sheffield United 5-0 in February, Brighton and Hove Albion have only managed seven goals in their last 14 games. But midfielder Pascal Gross has chipped in with five across the campaign and is 13/10 to score or assist.
Probable line-ups
Brighton are a bit light up front with top scorer Joao Pedro missing their last game along with Evan Ferguson. Chelsea star Reece James made his comeback at the weekend but will probably have to settle for a seat on the bench again.
Brighton: Verbruggen; Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Igor; Gilmour, Gross; Adingra, Buonanotte, Enciso; Welbeck
Chelsea: Petrovic, Cucurella, Badiashile, Chalobah, Gusto, Gallagher, Caicedo, Mudryk, Madueke, Palmer, Jackson.
Anything else catch the eye? Stats suggest lots of corners
Both meetings this season have produced 13 corners, with eight of them going to Brighton and Hove Albion each time. That suggests over 11 corners stands a chance at 5/4 with Bet365 while backing the Seagulls for most flag kicks pays evens.
Nine yellows and a red were flashed in the last meeting but this should be a quieter night for the ref with Brighton having nothing to play for. Betting against both teams picking up two cards or more pays 11/10.
This English Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea will be played on May 15, 2024 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Brighton and Hove Albion vs Chelsea prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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