Chelsea head into the game 11th in the Premier League and seven points off the final European place, which is currently occupied by Brighton.
And whilst the Seagulls will likely take a Europa Conference League spot, they are just one point off the Europa League places with two games in hand, making this a huge tie for both sides.
Now, ahead of the match, 101GreatGoals have put together a combined XI.
Chelsea vs Brighton Combined XI
GK: Kepa
Whilst Chelsea have been poor in front of goal this season, their backline is still fairly solid. The Blues have shipped 31 goals in the Premier League this season compared to Brighton’s 36, with Kepa a much better shot-stopper than Jason Steele.
RB: Reece James
CB: Lewis Dunk
Perhaps one of the most underrated centre-backs in the Premier League, Lewis Dunk is consistently impressive for the Seagulls and demonstrates great leadership qualities. Chelsea, meanwhile, have chopped and changed their backline a fair bit this campaign, giving few players a chance to impress.
CB: Thiago Silva
One man who always delivers for the Blues, though, is Thiago Silva. The ageing Brazilian has lost some of his pace but he is mentally head and shoulders above most centre-backs in the Premier League.
LB: Pervis Estupinan
Former Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella has struggled for form since his switch to Chelsea, whilst Ben Chilwell is finding it hard to get back to his best following several injury issues. Pervis Estupinan, meanwhile, has been consistent across the 2022/23 season, whilst also chipping in with four assists in 25 outings.
CDM: N’Golo Kante
Despite spending much of 2022/23 out injured, N’Golo Kante returned recently and has excelled in his limited outings, showing he is still one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet when fit.
CDM: Moises Caicedo
After spending over £100m on Enzo Fernandez in January, Chelsea fans will have been excepting the Argentine to make this list. However, the World Cup winner has not been great barring some bright spells when he first arrived in England. Caicedo, meanwhile, has been excellent at progressing play and creating chances.
RM: Solly March
As already mentioned, Chelsea’s attack has been woeful this term, so there is little competition for Brighton’s forward line. March is perhaps the weakest member of the quartet. But he has still scored seven and assisted six in 28 league games this season.
CAM: Alexis Mac Alister
Like Fernandez, Joao Felix looked impressive on his Chelsea debut but his form quickly fell away. Mac Alister, meanwhile, is a constant goalscoring threat for the Seagulls, netting eight in 25.
LM: Kaoru Mitoma
Arguably Brighton’s MVP this season, Mitoma has stepped up in the absence of Leandro Trossard and has scored seven and assisted five in the PL since the end of October.
ST: Evan Ferguson
All of Chelsea’s striking options have been poor in 2022/23, whilst Danny Welbeck has just four goals from a nearly completed campaign. Ferguson, on the other hand, has stepped up in recent weeks, scoring four and assisting two in just 562 minutes of league action.
