Chelsea will be searching for a win to climb into second position in the table when they take on Brighton at the Amex Stadium this evening.
Thomas Tuchel is once again without number one goalkeeper Edouard Mendy – who’s away at the African Cup of Nations – so Kepa continues between the sticks tonight. Cesar Azpilicueta lines-up in defence alongside Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger so Malang Sarr has to make do with a place on the bench. Andreas Christensen remains out with Covid.
Chelsea have recalled Jorginho in midfield with the Italian starting alongside N’Golo Kante so Mateo Kovacic drops to the bench where he’s joined by Saul Niguez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Callum Hudson-Odoi starts on the right flank for the Blues in the absence of Reece James – who’s out with a thigh injury – while Marcos Alonso continues to deputise for the injured Ben Chilwell on the left.
Romelu Lukaku leads the line up front once again for Chelsea while Hakim Ziyech and Mason Mount offer support to the Belgian international. It means Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner have to make do with places among the substitutes this evening.
As for Brighton, Danny Welbeck starts in attack along with Steven Alzate so Neal Maupay is named on the bench. Marc Cucurella starts for the hosts while Tariq Lamptey lines-up against his former side.
Here are the confirmed line-ups:
Brighton
Sanchez, Lamptey, Veltman, Webster, Burn, Cucurella, Gross, Moder, Mac Allister, Welbeck, Alzate
Subs: Scherpen, McGill, Caicedo, Roberts, Leonard, Ferguson, Caicedo, March, Trossard, Maupay
Chelsea
Kepa, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Hudson-Odoi, Kante, Jorginho, Alonso, Mount, Lukaku, Ziyech
Subs: Bettinelli, Hall, Sarr, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Havertz, Pulisic, Werner
