Brighton & Hove Albion have lost just one of their three opening home games of a new Premier League (PL) campaign (W1, D1, L1), which gives the ‘Seagulls’ at least one positive to cling onto as they hunt their first H2H win over Chelsea since 1933 (D2, L11 since).
Worryingly however, no team failed to score in more PL home games than Brighton in 2019/20 (seven), and they’re winless in their last eight PL home fixtures against teams that finished last season in the top five (D1, L7) – albeit the one positive result was a 1-1 versus Chelsea in the last H2H.
Such a low-scoring game was an anomaly for Chelsea though, who had a successful 2019/20 in front of goal with only Liverpool and Man City netting more than their 69 PL strikes. However their 54 goals conceded (1.42 on average per match) was Chelsea’s highest number since 1996/97!
Particular weak points included conceding 11 goals via headers – the most headed goals the ‘Blues’ have shipped since 2000/01 – and conceding more goals from corners (ten) than all sides bar relegated Norwich. Considering Chelsea’s last six first away games of a new PL season all featured over 2.5 goals, as well as their final seven PL road trips of last term, the visitors could start 2020/21 in a similar vein to where they left off.
Players to watch: Brighton went unbeaten when Neal Maupay scored last season (W5, D5). He was their first goalscorer on six occasions.
Chelsea’s new signing Timo Werner scored 28 Bundesliga goals last term. The only two times the ‘Blues’ have won the league since 2010/11 was with a 20+ goal striker!
Hot streak: None of Chelsea’s last 13 PL games saw a goalless first half, and six of the last seven witnessed over 1.5 first-half goals.