Premier League Matchday Preview: Chelsea Hosts Brighton with New Goalkeeper in Lineup

Chelsea FC is set to host Brighton & Hove Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, looking to reverse a recent trend of poor results against the visitors. The home side has lost four consecutive matches against Brighton, a streak manager Xabi Alonso will be hoping to break.

A significant storyline for the match is the immediate inclusion of new signing Emi Martínez. The goalkeeper was announced by the club just hours before kickoff but has been named directly in the starting lineup. Chelsea will deploy a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Martínez protected by a back three of Levi Colwill, Willian Pacho Lacroix, and Wesley Fofana. The midfield features Joshua Hato, Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, and Pedro Neto, supporting Cole Palmer and Samu Rogers in attacking roles behind João Pedro.

Brighton, meanwhile, has named Bart Verbruggen in goal, with Lewis Dunk captaining the side. The Seagulls’ lineup includes Kaoru Kostoulas and Facundo Boscagli in defense, while Simon Adingra and Georginio Rutter are notable inclusions among the substitutes.

For viewers in the United States, the match will be available on NBCSN and via the NBC Sports Live streaming service. Broadcasting rights for the Premier League in the U.S. are held by Comcast Corporation, the parent company of NBCUniversal.

Shares of Comcast were trading higher on Friday. The stock closed at $26.38 the previous session and was last seen up 2.58% at $27.06. The company, which operates in the Communication Services sector, holds a market capitalization of approximately $96 billion.

What to watch

• The performance of Chelsea’s new goalkeeper, Emi Martínez, following his late announcement.
• Whether Chelsea can end its four-match losing streak against Brighton.
• Viewership numbers for NBCSN during this Premier League slot.

Source: original release