Chelsea will travel to the Amex Stadium to face Brighton & Hove Albion in a Premier League fixture on Tuesday night, with manager Liam Rosenior still dealing with several injury concerns and late fitness decisions ahead of the match.
According to reports from the Evening Standard, Chelsea’s preparations for the game remain unsettled due to multiple absentees and doubts across key positions. The club is looking to bounce back from recent inconsistent results, but squad availability is expected to play a major role in shaping their approach.
A major doubt for the encounter is striker Joao Pedro, who is facing a late fitness test. The forward, who joined Chelsea from Brighton in a deal worth up to £60 million and has scored 19 goals in all competitions, missed the previous defeat to Manchester United due to a thigh injury. However, he has returned to training and a final decision on his involvement will be made on Tuesday morning.
In contrast, Chelsea have confirmed that Estevao Willian will miss the match after suffering a hamstring injury during the first half of the 1-0 loss to Manchester United. Medical staff are continuing assessments, but he remains unavailable for selection.
Midfield reinforcement comes in the form of Enzo Fernandez, who is expected to feature after being withdrawn late in the previous match due to cramp. The Argentine midfielder has been declared fit and could play a key role in Chelsea’s midfield setup.
However, the Blues will continue to be without several important players. Reece James, Levi Colwill, Jamie Gittens, and goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen are all sidelined with injuries, leaving gaps across defence and attack. Despite this, Trevoh Chalobah is in contention for a starting role after returning to the bench against Manchester United following an ankle problem.
There is also a leadership adjustment expected, with Moises Caicedo likely to captain the team in the absence of Reece James. In attack, Liam Delap may begin on the bench if Joao Pedro is deemed fit enough to start, while young midfielder Jesse Derry has been training with the senior squad and could be included in the matchday selection.
Chelsea’s likely formation is a 4-2-3-1 setup, with Robert Sanchez in goal; Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, and Marc Cucurella in defence; Andrey Santos and Moises Caicedo in midfield; and an attacking line featuring Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro.
With fitness doubts still unresolved, Chelsea’s final team sheet will depend heavily on late medical assessments as they look to secure a crucial result away from home.
