Chelsea Stars Caicedo and Pedro Set for Emotional Return Against Former Club Brighton
Chelsea have experienced a lackluster beginning to the campaign but are looking to regain their form when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion in Premier League action on Saturday.
The Blues have secured victory in only two of their five domestic fixtures this term, while also suffering a loss in their Champions League debut against Bayern Munich. The reigning world champions have displayed flashes of their exceptional ability, but these moments have been too sporadic for Enzo Maresca's satisfaction.
Brighton will certainly not be pushovers this weekend, however. The Seagulls, who have triumphed in their previous two encounters against Chelsea, have already defeated Manchester City and earned a draw with Tottenham Hotspur this campaign, and they might capitalize on Chelsea's injury-depleted squad when they visit Stamford Bridge.
Here's how the Blues might set up for this crucial encounter.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Brighton (4-2-3-1)
GK: Robert Sánchez—Sánchez proved costly for Chelsea last weekend with his early dismissal in the fifth minute, as the Blues ultimately succumbed to a 2–1 loss at Manchester United. Nevertheless, Maresca has dismissed it as merely an "error" and continues to trust the former Brighton shot-stopper.
RB: Malo Gusto—The fullback was vocal about Chelsea's disappointing display against League One side Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup during the week, with both he and his coach demanding better against Brighton.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah—Chelsea face defensive concerns in central areas, with Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana all unavailable on Saturday. Thankfully, they can still rely on the dependable Chalobah at the back.
CB: Jorrel Hato—Hato is expected to feature as a centre-back this weekend having played much of the Lincoln match at left-back, though youngster Josh Acheampong will also be hoping for playing time after recovering from illness.
LB: Marc Cucurella—Cucurella, another ex-Brighton player, faces the challenging assignment of containing Yankuba Minteh. The winger scored twice in the Seagulls' 3–0 victory over Chelsea last term.
DM: Reece James—A midfield reorganization is necessary due to Cole Palmer's unavailability, with James potentially moved into the middle of the park. Maresca has deployed him frequently in this position over the past year and he rarely lets his manager down.
DM: Moisés Caicedo—This marks Caicedo's sixth meeting with his former team and he will be tasked with containing players like Diego Gómez, Yasin Ayari and his replacement Carlos Baleba.
AM: Enzo Fernández—With Palmer sidelined until the international break, Fernández might be deployed in an advanced midfield position. "90 per cent of matches he's an attacking midfielder, he's excellent in that role," Maresca commented about the Argentine during his pre-match briefing.
RW: Estêvão—The Brazilian has accumulated just 46 minutes across his previous three appearances, with last weekend's early sending-off resulting in his substitution after merely six minutes at Old Trafford. He deserves a more substantial opportunity this weekend.
ST: João Pedro—Pedro left Brighton during the summer and has made an immediate impact for Chelsea. He's recorded five goal contributions in the Premier League this season and will be keen to increase that number against his previous club.
LW: Pedro Neto—Players like Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens are still adapting to life in west London and have yet to displace Neto. The Portuguese winger can operate on either flank and consistently provides an attacking threat for the Blues.
