By Alex Roberts
Each side defeated lower-league opposition within the Third Spherical earlier than being drawn in opposition to one another, with Chelsea’s second staff incomes a comfortably 5-0 win over Morecambe, whereas Brighton left Norwich with a 4-0 victory.
Darkish horses don’t appear to be a lot of a factor anymore, however Brighton have it in them to beat the large boys on their day, and a press release win over Enzo Maresca’s facet forward of their second assembly isn’t arduous to think about, regardless of their stuttering type.
Christopher Nkunku set for a “greater function.”
Chelsea noticed a number of gamers depart within the January switch window, totally on mortgage, however Christopher Nkunku wasn’t one in all them. The French ahead has needed to take a backseat beneath Enzo Maresca and is reportedly sad together with his scenario.
Talking in his pre-match presser, Maresca confirmed Nkunku is ready for a “greater function” within the second half of the season. With Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu each harm doubt’s, Nkunku will doubtless get an opportunity on Saturday.
He hasn’t scored a aim for the reason that 5-0 win over Morecambe, however that’s merely because of an absence of alternative. With 13 targets from his 30 video games, 13 of which have been begins, solely Maresca is aware of why he hasn’t been given extra of a shot.
7-0 is fairly tough
Brighton’s 7-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest of their earlier fixture has introduced up some uncomfortable questions relating to their younger supervisor Fabian Hürzeler.
The FA Cup tie with Chelsea permits them to step away, reset slightly, and take a breath, however ought to they endure one other heavy defeat, these dissenting voices are going to start out getting louder.
Chelsea wanted a four-goal Cole Palmer masterclass to get previous Brighton the final time these two sides performed, the very last thing Lewis Dunk and co are going to wish to see is that lanky genius working at them proper now.
Beginning to fear about Roméo Lavia
The younger midfielder could be the subsequent star to wander down that ‘wonderkid’ to ‘streets gained’t overlook’ pipeline after Maresca admitted he “nonetheless has an extended technique to go” within the restoration from his most up-to-date harm setback.
Lavia has made simply 13 appearances for Chelsea since becoming a member of from Southampton again in the summertime of 2023, and whereas he’s been first rate in these video games, it’s beginning to get fairly arduous to justify the worth tag.
In an ideal world, and FA Cup recreation in opposition to Brighton would have been the perfect alternative for Lavia to point out what he can do, sadly, nobody is aware of when he’ll be again enjoying constantly.
Chelsea aren’t the one facet with an issue between the sticks
Bart Verbruggen struggled large time within the defeat to Forest. Sure, we perceive the professionals and cons of enjoying out from the again, however, in concern of sounding an excessive amount of like Tim Sherwood, generally it is advisable to get it out.
Fortunately for the Dutchman, he may put Jota Silva’s aim all the way down to psychological and bodily fatigue, however 4 errors resulting in targets within the Premier League this season is lower than perfect for any celebration.
Don’t anticipate it to vary, it’s the gameplan now, which is okay, however it may be so irritating for the followers. If it makes Vergruggen really feel any higher, solely Chelsea’s Robert Sánchez has made extra errors within the league this season.
Prediction
Truthfully, this one may go both manner. By no means belief Chelsea to win a recreation they ‘ought to’, so we’re going to go along with a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes. You can also make a judgement on who wins it from there!
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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