Why is Brighton vs Chelsea on a Friday night? Injury-hit Blues seek Valentine’s Day revenge over Seagulls
Chelsea face an uphill battle in their bid for revenge on Brighton when the two teams clash for the second time in a week this Friday. The Blues saw their FA Cup dreams ended by the Seagulls last weekend but travel back to the Amex in a crunch Premier League tie. Maresca has seen his side’s fantastic start to the season hit a major bumpGetty Enzo Maresca’s side will already have to rethink his team selection from the 2-1 loss, following the absence of striker Nicolas Jackson. Chelsea‘s No9, along with teenage forward Marc Guiu, are both set for lengthy stints on the sidelines after picking up injuries during the victory over West Ham on deadline day. The Blues have struggled to show consistent form since the start of 2025, which has meant their bid for Champions League qualification remains far from assured. In addition to mounting injuries, Maresca’s preparations may also have been thrown off by his side unusually playing on Valentine’s Day. Why is Brighton vs Chelsea on Friday? This Premier League game is set to take place on Friday, February 14, with kick-off at the Amex Stadium scheduled for 8pm. It was moved to Sky Sports’ Friday night slot after being chosen for live TV coverage, which was announced in December. Sky had already selected Everton to feature the following night, with the Toffees unavailable to be involved in such a rapid turnaround following the rescheduled Merseyside derby in midweek. Similarly, Liverpool are forming part of the Broadcaster’s Super Sunday line-up, which also includes Tottenham vs Manchester United. Although no official reason was given why Chelsea will play Valentine’s Day instead of MNF as they did against West Ham, the Premier League revealed in December that the revised schedule included fixtures which have been moved due to European matches. At the time of the TV picks, Chelsea hadn’t officially confirmed their qualification in the top eight of the UEFA Conference League and there remained a possibility, albeit a very slim one, that they could have been tasked with a play-off next week. Chelsea travel to Brighton again for the second time in a weekGetty After a five-game unbeaten run against Chelsea in the Premier League (W2 D3), Brighton have now lost each of their last three against them. Chelsea have lost just one of their seven Premier League away games against Brighton (W4 D2), going down 4-1 in October 2022. Having failed to score in five of their first eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea, Brighton have now scored in each of their last seven against them. However, they’ve only kept one clean sheet in their 15 games against the Blues in the competition. Brighton vs Chelsea: talkSPORT coverage talkSPORT will have live and EXCLUSIVE coverage from the South Coast, presented by Hugh Woozencroft. Commentary comes from Joe Shennan and former Chelsea defender Scott Minto. talkSPORT.com will also have updates throughout via our dedicated live Premier League blog. To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM. Sky Sports will also be broadcasting the action and details on how to watch on TV or online via Sky Go can be found here. Jackson has been ruled out until April with a hamstring injuryGetty Brighton suffered their heaviest league defeat since August 1958 (0-9 v Middlesbrough) last time out against Nottingham Forest (0-7) and the Seagulls could now lose three Premier League games in a row for the first time since March 2022 (a run of 6 under Graham Potter). Chelsea are currently on the longest winless streak away from home in the Premier League (D2 L2), going four without victory since beating Spurs 4-3 in early December; the Blues averaged 2.9 goals per game across their first eight away league games of the season but just 0.5 per game across this winless run. Brighton are unbeaten in their last three Premier League home games against sides starting the day in the top four (W2 D1), though Fabian Hürzeler’s team are winless in five overall at the Amex Stadium since beating then 2nd place Manchester City in November (D3 L2). Brighton vs Chelsea: Team news The hosts are struggling with an injury crisis of their own, with Jason Steele, Ferdi Kadioglu, Igor Julio, and James Milner all sidelined. Solly March is closing in on a return to action, while trio Pervis Estupinan, Lewis Dunk, and Mats Wieffer will face late fitness tests. The visitors have a decision to make over who leads the line in attack with Jackson out for up to eight weeks. Christopher Nkunku deputised up top instead, but Maresca pumped the brakes on cementing the Frenchman as the man to fill the void. “Christo is a solution but not the only solution,” Maresca said. “I said many times I consider Christo a very important player from
Chelsea face an uphill battle in their bid for revenge on Brighton when the two teams clash for the second time in a week this Friday.
The Blues saw their FA Cup dreams ended by the Seagulls last weekend but travel back to the Amex in a crunch Premier League tie.
Enzo Maresca’s side will already have to rethink his team selection from the 2-1 loss, following the absence of striker Nicolas Jackson.
Chelsea‘s No9, along with teenage forward Marc Guiu, are both set for lengthy stints on the sidelines after picking up injuries during the victory over West Ham on deadline day.
The Blues have struggled to show consistent form since the start of 2025, which has meant their bid for Champions League qualification remains far from assured.
In addition to mounting injuries, Maresca’s preparations may also have been thrown off by his side unusually playing on Valentine’s Day.
Why is Brighton vs Chelsea on Friday?
This Premier League game is set to take place on Friday, February 14, with kick-off at the Amex Stadium scheduled for 8pm.
It was moved to Sky Sports’ Friday night slot after being chosen for live TV coverage, which was announced in December.
Sky had already selected Everton to feature the following night, with the Toffees unavailable to be involved in such a rapid turnaround following the rescheduled Merseyside derby in midweek.
Similarly, Liverpool are forming part of the Broadcaster’s Super Sunday line-up, which also includes Tottenham vs Manchester United.
Although no official reason was given why Chelsea will play Valentine’s Day instead of MNF as they did against West Ham, the Premier League revealed in December that the revised schedule included fixtures which have been moved due to European matches.
At the time of the TV picks, Chelsea hadn’t officially confirmed their qualification in the top eight of the UEFA Conference League and there remained a possibility, albeit a very slim one, that they could have been tasked with a play-off next week.
- After a five-game unbeaten run against Chelsea in the Premier League (W2 D3), Brighton have now lost each of their last three against them.
- Chelsea have lost just one of their seven Premier League away games against Brighton (W4 D2), going down 4-1 in October 2022.
- Having failed to score in five of their first eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea, Brighton have now scored in each of their last seven against them. However, they’ve only kept one clean sheet in their 15 games against the Blues in the competition.
Brighton vs Chelsea: talkSPORT coverage
talkSPORT will have live and EXCLUSIVE coverage from the South Coast, presented by Hugh Woozencroft.
Commentary comes from Joe Shennan and former Chelsea defender Scott Minto.
talkSPORT.com will also have updates throughout via our dedicated live Premier League blog.
To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
Sky Sports will also be broadcasting the action and details on how to watch on TV or online via Sky Go can be found here.
- Brighton suffered their heaviest league defeat since August 1958 (0-9 v Middlesbrough) last time out against Nottingham Forest (0-7) and the Seagulls could now lose three Premier League games in a row for the first time since March 2022 (a run of 6 under Graham Potter).
- Chelsea are currently on the longest winless streak away from home in the Premier League (D2 L2), going four without victory since beating Spurs 4-3 in early December; the Blues averaged 2.9 goals per game across their first eight away league games of the season but just 0.5 per game across this winless run.
- Brighton are unbeaten in their last three Premier League home games against sides starting the day in the top four (W2 D1), though Fabian Hürzeler’s team are winless in five overall at the Amex Stadium since beating then 2nd place Manchester City in November (D3 L2).
Brighton vs Chelsea: Team news
The hosts are struggling with an injury crisis of their own, with Jason Steele, Ferdi Kadioglu, Igor Julio, and James Milner all sidelined.
Solly March is closing in on a return to action, while trio Pervis Estupinan, Lewis Dunk, and Mats Wieffer will face late fitness tests.
The visitors have a decision to make over who leads the line in attack with Jackson out for up to eight weeks.
Christopher Nkunku deputised up top instead, but Maresca pumped the brakes on cementing the Frenchman as the man to fill the void.
“Christo is a solution but not the only solution,” Maresca said. “I said many times I consider Christo a very important player from the start.
“Now also with the transfer window closed, everyone is here and he can help us until the end. We are working to find a different solution.
“It can be Christo but also a different kind of player.”
Maresca added the likes of Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke and even 19-year-old Tyrique George are alternate options up front.
Elsewhere, Chelsea are still without the injured quartet of Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, and Omari Kellyman.
Captain Reece James is set to return to the side, while Mykhaylo Mudryk remains unavailable due to his provisional doping ban.
- Chelsea’s Robert Sánchez (5) and Ipswich Town’s Arijanet Muric (5) are the only players to commit more errors leading to a goal than Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen (4) in the Premier League so far this season.
- Only Liverpool have come from behind to avoid defeat in more Premier League games this season than Chelsea (7 times – W3 D4 L5); meanwhile the Blues have won two of their last three league matches when behind at half-time (v Spurs and West Ham), as many as across their previous 31 when trailing at the break (D4 L25).
- Cole Palmer scored four goals in the reverse fixture against Brighton earlier this season – the most goals a Chelsea player has scored against an opponent in a single Premier League campaign is five: Gianluca VIalli v Barnsley (1997-98), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink v Tottenham (2001-02) and Diego Costa v Swansea (2014-15).
- Only Wolves’ (15.7%) and Manchester City’s (14.5%) opponents are converting their shots at a higher rate than Brighton’s (13.9% – 38/273) in the Premier League this season, while only Wolves (3) and West Ham (3) have netted more own goals than the Seagulls (2).
Brighton vs Chelsea: What has been said?
Chelsea boss Maresca has clarified the Blues’ goalkeeping situation.
Robert Sanchez was between the sticks during Chelsea’s 2-1 loss to Brighton in the FA Cup last Saturday.
However, the Spaniard’s performances haven’t quite been convincing enough to remain the undisputed number-one goalkeeper at the club.
Speaking at Chelsea’s press conference, Maresca confirmed there will indeed be a change at the back for their trip to the Amex Stadium on Friday night.
“Our goalkeeper at the moment is Filip Jorgensen,” Maresca confirmed.
“I said that the Filip solution was also to give Robert Sánchez time to recover mentally and physically but the idea is not to game by game change the keeper.”
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