Chelsea’s festive football programme returns to Stamford Bridge this evening as Brighton wing into west London for a 7.30pm kick off, Thomas Tuchel’s 60th match in charge since January.

Although this match takes the Blues into the second half of the Premier League season, it is our first flight of the season with the Seagulls. That is because the 19th match on Boxing Day was a second sight of Aston Villa, the 3-1 win producing the Londoners‘ first league ‘double’ of 2021/22 with a 6-1 aggregate scoreline.

‘We are the hunters now,’ asserted goalscorer Romelu Lukaku after that impressive comeback. ‘Every game now is like a final.’ In the wake of Liverpool’s loss at Leicester last night, Thomas Tuchel’s men are level on points with the Reds and six behind leaders Manchester City, whose game at Brentford will start just as the first half at the Bridge finishes.

Chelsea, unbeaten in the past six league games at home, have kept a clean sheet each time Brighton have been the visitors in league and cup, scoring 14 goals. Prior to last season’s 0-0 in this fixture, each game had also brought victory for the Blues. The Seagulls are winless in their past six on the road.

Chelsea team news

The precautionary removals of N’Golo Kante and Thiago Silva during the vital victory at Villa Park may mean them sitting out the last football of 2021 at Stamford Bridge, especially with Liverpool’s visit on Sunday. Likewise, Tuchel may rest Marcos Alonso, who has been heavily involved recently. Cesar Azpilicueta and Hakim Ziyech were among the unused substitutes in Birmingham, and they plus Havertz and Kante were part of training yesterday.

The Bavarian will be delighted his second-half changes on Boxing Day worked out so wonderfully, centre-back Trevoh Chalobah making way for rampaging centre-forward Romelu Lukaku at the interval, and Reece James dropping back to counter Ollie Watkins.

Christian Pulisic moved from the middle of the front three to right wing-back and saw much more of the ball, and to better effect, in that role. The Chelsea coaching staff will also have noted his diligent defensive work.

Elsewhere the restored partnership between Lukaku and Callum Hudson-Odoi showed how much Covid had deprived the team. The 21-year-old winger and his cutting edge had a huge impact, winning the Blues’ first penalty himself, assisting Lukaku’s astute header then feeding the Belgian’s searing run that led to our second spot-kick. He has overtaken Arjen Robben as the youngest Blue to contribute 10 assists (since records began).

The centre-forward’s goals in both Villa encounters bookend his absence from a Premier League scoresheet, and his smart movement and unstoppable runs will have opposition coaches tearing up their scouting reports. His drifts to the flanks helped make the Blues’ fast-tempo attacking combinations function fluidly, in contrast to the comparatively toothless Wolves display.

Chelsea have nodded in seven goals this campaign and, for a tall team, Brighton have proved susceptible in the air, conceding three league headers. They have also been caught cold early on, with four opposition goals in the opening quarter-hour – a time slot where the Blues have netted five times.

Seagulls dining on scraps

Prior to Boxing Day, Brighton had not tasted victory for 11 matches and slipped from a high of third in the table to a season low of 11. Chelsea’s job is to ensure that now the Seagulls have found the taste for it with a 2-0 against Brentford, they do not swoop down and steal our chips this evening.

Ball possession and other positive statistics for Graham Potter’s side are improved from last season but the imprecision in front of goal evident in that campaign, in which they finished 16th, has crept back into their game.

They are fourth lowest for goals scored, good opportunities, and shots on target in the top flight, but have found the net in six of their eight league games on the road. They are hard to score against too, with the third-highest saves percentage at 76.6 behind the Blues and Wolves.

More than 40 per cent of their goals have been scored after the 75th minute, but around two-thirds of those conceded have come in the first half. As a result, they have equalised on five of the nine occasions they have gone a goal down. When they have taken the lead themselves they have generally retained it.

Neal Maupay is leading marksman again with seven but only five others have hit the target. They have a famously tall backline and last season half a dozen defenders weighed in with goals; this campaign only Shane Duffy has done so. He and the towering full-back Dan Burn may not be available this evening.

Another potential absentee is Leandro Trossard, who the Seagulls heavily rely on as a provider. The 48-hour turnaround might be too tight for the attacking midfielder, who departed the field on Monday with a hamstring problem.

Much-admired anchorman midfield anchor Yves Bissouma, voted player of 2021 by Brighton fans, is back after serving a suspension for accumulating five yellows. Chelsea Academy graduate Tariq Lamptey should feature at right-back.

We have history

Chelsea have never lost to Brighton in the league, a record stretching back through a dozen games over 48 years. It is the Blues’ longest such run without any defeat against an opponent.

The Seagulls’ maiden bow at the Bridge came in the old Division Two on New Year’s Eve 1983, when John Neal and Chris Cattlin were opposing managers and Jimmy Case was sent off for a foul on Tony McAndrew.

A narrow victory lifted the Blues to top spot, the late winner from David Speedie laid on by a Kerry Dixon back-heel. Dixon had earlier seen his penalty saved by veteran ’keeper Joe Corrigan, his third failure in two outings. ‘That’s me finished now,’ he said afterwards. ‘I’m not taking penalties anymore.’ McAndrew, Nigel Spackman and Pat Nevin took over, and the last two also missed before the campaign was over.

Jorgi spot-on again

At Villa Park Jorginho notched his fifth two-penalty haul for Chelsea and third of the season, making it 15 occasions a Blues player has struck twice from 12 yards in the same match.

The midfielder also became the first Premier League player to reach double figures for spot-kicks in a calendar year. He has netted 24 of his 27 attempts in all competitions with the Londoners, an 89 per cent success rate.

Half-term report

At the season’s turning point it is possible to see the impressive progress made so far. Chelsea have a higher points total at this stage of the campaign than at any halfway mark over the previous decade – outside our title wins in 2014/15 and 2016/17. Year-on-year, all the most salient statistics show big improvements on the last campaign’s numbers.

The 19th hole

Chelsea, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle, Norwich, Southampton and West Ham have all passed 19 matches meaning those clubs’ players are no longer in danger of a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards.

Cristian Romero of upcoming cup opponents Tottenham, sitting on four cautions, has two more games to navigate before he is in the clear; Harry Kane is on three. Fabinho has avoided a ban against Chelsea on 2 January, though the postponement of their Leeds fixture means Andy Robertson is suspended for the Reds’ visit.

Open season

The disappointing news that Ben Chilwell needs surgery on his knee ligaments will open speculation on potential Chelsea loan signings next month from Saturday, when the January transfer window opens. Players whose contracts elapse in the summer are also entitled to sign pre-contracts with overseas clubs.It is usually footballers who generate transfer headlines but last week anticipated activity in the January window by Newcastle United was pre-empted by reports Brighton granted permission for their director of football since 2019, Dan Ashworth, to meet the new Saudi owners. The ex-FA administrator has been credited with helping create a new path from the Seagulls’ academy to the first team, taken most notably by Ben White, sold to Arsenal for a reported £50m.

Matchweek 20 Premier League results and fixtures

TuesdayArsenal v Wolves (Postponed)Crystal Palace 3 Norwich 0Southampton 1 Tottenham 1Watford 1 West Ham 4Leeds v Aston Villa (Postponed)Leicester 1 Liverpool 0

WednesdayChelsea v Brighton 7.30pmBrentford v Man City 8.15pm

ThursdayEverton v Newcastle (Postponed)Man Utd v Burnley 8.15pm