Chelsea-Brighton & Hove Albion Preview

Graham Potter has been linked with the now-vacant Everton job, but insisted he is happy at Brighton and Hove Albion as he prepares for Tuesday's clash with Chelsea.

Everton parted company with Rafael Benitez on Sunday after a run of one league win in 13 games, and Potter was one of the managers linked with taking over at Goodison Park.

However, he appeared to rule himself out of contention Monday, telling reporters: "I'm focused on my job here, very happy here with, in my opinion, one of the best-run clubs in the Premier League, with a fantastic owner, chairman, CEO, sports director, great people at the club, a nice environment to work in, an ambitious club.

"I just get on with my job here and do my best. The speculation, or people want to right something. The reality is I'm at a really good football club that help me. I'm not here because I'm that good, it's because I'm at a good club.

"We're not as good as people think and we're probably not as bad as people think when things aren't going well!"

Potter's immediate focus is on a home meeting with Chelsea, who Brighton drew with at Stamford Bridge last month.

Chelsea's title hopes took another hit on Saturday when they lost 1-0 to runaway leaders Manchester City.

"Maybe we have to stop focusing on our own problems, and simply admit that City are in a very strong place", Thomas Tuchel said.

"In the last 12 matches they have a 100 per cent record. They earned what they have. Maybe it's necessary to admit this. The second thing to say is that we will never give up.

"We cannot lower our ambitions because it [the gap to City] is now 13 points, we cannot. We are committed to our goals."

Brighton and Hove Albion - Lewis Dunk

Lewis Dunk has been out of action since early December but could return on Tuesday. If he is fit, Potter will surely have his captain and defensive leader straight back into the side.

Chelsea - Kepa Arrizabalaga

Kepa made a big save against City last time out but could do nothing to prevent Kevin De Bruyne's winner finding the bottom corner. With Edouard Mendy at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Spaniard will again be between the sticks.

- Brighton have drawn their last two league games against Chelsea, picking up more points from these two games than they had in their first 11 league meetings with the Blues (D1 L10).

- Chelsea have never lost in 13 league meetings with Brighton (W10 D3) - it's the most the Blues have faced an opponent without ever losing in their league history.

- Brighton have never led in nine Premier League meetings with Chelsea. In the competition's history, only two sides have faced an opponent more without leading for a single minute - Sheffield United against Manchester City (10) and Portsmouth against Chelsea (14).

- Only the current top three sides of Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea have lost fewer Premier League games than Brighton so far this term (4). However, the Seagulls have drawn more games than any other side this season, with their 10 draws the most recorded by a team 20 games into a Premier League campaign since Sunderland in 2014-15 (11).

- Chelsea are winless in their last three Premier League games (D2 L1), their longest such run under Tuchel. The Blues lost 1-0 at Man City last time out, but haven't gone consecutive away league games without a goal since May/August 2019.

Updated January 17, 2022