Liverpool and Manchester City are pundits favourite to win the Premier League this season but there is an outside Chelsea could nick it if the stats are anything to go by.
Chelsea must have to get past Brighton if they are to be third time lucky.
Today’s match is the third time Chelsea are starting a Premier League campaign on a Monday.
The last two times the Blues played their opening matches on a Monday in 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons they went to win to the title both seasons.
TEAM NEWS
Brighton’s new signing Adam Lallana will be looking for his first Premier League start since December 2019.
Jose Izquiedero and Christian Walton are Albion’s only injury absentees.
Chelsea’s expensive German signings Kai Havertz and Timo Werner are in line for their debuts.
Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell are injured and Thiago Silva lacks fitness, but Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta have overcome hamstring problems.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Chelsea are the only opponents Brighton have played a league fixture against without ever winning. The 1-1 draw at Amex Stadium on New Year’s Day was Brighton’s first point against the Blues, and came at the 10th attempt.
- Albion’s only competitive victory in 14 attempts against Chelsea came in their first meeting, an FA Cup tie on the south coast in January 1933.
Brighton & Hove Albion
- Brighton’s tally of three victories in their 18 Premier League fixtures in 2020 is the lowest of any side currently in the division (D9, L6).
- Nonetheless, they recorded their highest Premier League tally of points (41) and goals (39) last season, as well as registering their fewest defeats (15).
- They can win their opening league fixture in successive seasons for the first time since 2010-11.
- Albion haven’t lost a league game on a Monday in 10 attempts since an April 2015 defeat by Rotherham. All five of their Premier League games played on Mondays have been drawn.
- Adam Lallana’s failure to score or provide an assist in his nine league games against Chelsea is his worst record against a top-flight club.
Chelsea
- This is the third time Chelsea are starting a Premier League campaign on a Monday, with the Blues going on to win the title on the previous two occasions in 2014-15 and 2016-17.
- Twelve league defeats in 2019-20 equalled the most by a Chelsea side in a season since Roman Abramovich became owner in 2003.
- They lost their final two competitive fixtures of the 2019-20 campaign and could suffer three straight defeats for the first time since May to August 2006.
- Chelsea conceded 54 Premier League goals last season, just one short of their club record. Nine clean sheets was their joint-fewest in a Premier League campaign.
- Frank Lampard’s side kept only one clean sheet in their 19 Premier League away matches of 2019-20, in a 2-0 win at Tottenham in December.
- New signing Timo Werner scored 28 league goals for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga last season, the fourth highest tally in Europe’s top five leagues.
