Brighton and Hove Albion team news vs Chelsea: New signing makes first start as Roberto De Zerbi makes seven changes

Carlos Baleba is making his first start for the Seagulls and he is joined in the starting line-up by Igor Julio, Tariq Lamptey, Joao Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma, Jan Paul van Hecke and Ansu Fati – who all failed to start against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Bart Verbruggen keeps his place in the starting-11 alongside Mahmoud Dahoud, Facundo Buonanotte and Pervis Estupinan – who will captain Brighton.

Regular captain Lewis Dunk starts the game on the bench with Jason Steele, Solly March, Billy Gilmour, Adam Lallana, Danny Welbeck, Simon Adingra, Joel Veltman and Jack Hinselwood.

Former Brighton players Robert Sanchez, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo also start for Chelsea as the Blues field a strong line-up in a bid to turn their season around and secure their first win over the Seagulls in more than three years.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Lamptey, Van Hecke, Igor, Estupinan, Baleba, Dahoud, Buonanotte, Fati, Mitoma, Joao Pedro

Subs: Steele, Dunk, March, Gilmour, Lallana, Welbeck, Veltman, Hinshelwood.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Disasi, Colwill, Cucurella, Maatsen, Ugochukwu, Caicedo, Mudryk, Palmer, Chilwell, Jackson.

Subs: Petrovic, Brooking, Gilchrist, Gallagher, Fernandez, Sterling, Matos, Washington, Broja