Much of the backstory to Saturday’s game revolves around Graham Potter. The former Brighton manager travels to take on his previous club after taking over at Chelsea from Thomas Tuchel.
In his brief time at Stamford Bridge, Potter has taken the Blues on an unbeaten run. In contrast, the Seagulls have struggled under their new boss Roberto De Zerbi. The form guide may point to a comfortable 90 minutes for the away side, but can Brighton upset the markets in this 3pm kick off? Read on for our BHAFC vs CFC preview and betting tips.
Chelsea lead the way in the match result betting, but it may be a surprise to see odds against figures on all three possible outcomes. The away win can be claimed at an industry best of 6/4 while victory for Brighton follows at a general 15/8. That just leaves the draw, and a share of the points in this game is available at a top price of 12/5.
The statistics show that after Graham Potter joined Chelsea on September 8th, the side are unbeaten in nine games across all competitions. There have been six wins in that time and another notable stat reveals that the Blues have conceded just three goals.
What of Brighton? Since their former manager departed the Amex Stadium, they haven’t won a game. There have been three defeats and two draws in that period, but they did hold Liverpool to a 3-3 scoreline at Anfield on October 1st.
Four places and six points separate these sides, but will it be as straightforward as the markets suggest?
Before committing to the result, who are the players to change the course of the game? According to the betting markets, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is favourite to open the scoring and the former Arsenal man can be found at best odds of 6/1. Chelsea’s Armando Broja and Brighton’s Danny Welbeck are both listed at 7/1 in places while Raheem Sterling should attract interest at a best of 15/2.
In terms of potential value behind the main strikers, Leandro Trossard could be the man to watch. He scored a hat-trick in Brighton’s 3-3 draw with Liverpool and is listed at tempting best odds of 10/1.
In the Both Teams to Score market, the yes option is an odds on bet with a number of bookies quoting 8/11. Those wanting to consider the ‘no’ selection on BTTS will currently find best industry odds of 11/10.
Over to Total Goals now and a stake Above the 2.5 combined line would be met with odds of 11/10. By pushing that Over 3.5 we can take the top price of 14/5 while those that expect a quiet afternoon can consider odds of 4/5 to go Under 2.5 goals.
That leaves us with some Correct Score options. Those who agree with the bookmakers and are expecting a comfortable home win can consider Chelsea 3 Brighton 1 at 22/1. A 2-1 victory in favour of Brighton and Hove Albion is quoted at 11/1 while the 2-2 draw is on offer at 16/1.
Our Preview’s BHAFC vs CFC Betting Tips Verdict
Brighton aren’t exactly in a slump but they are taking time to recover following the loss of Graham Potter. That loss has been Chelsea’s gain as the team have yet to taste defeat under the new manager.
In that period since September 8th, the Seagulls have slid from the Champions League slots down to ninth place with 15 points from 11 games. Chelsea are now in fifth with 21 points.
The runs will end at some stage. Chelsea will eventually lose while Brighton will pick up their first three points under Roberto De Zerbi. However, we can’t see this happening on Saturday afternoon. Chelsea just look too strong and they have been exceptionally tight at the back in recent weeks. The contrasting form in either camp means that the 6/4 odds on the away win are generous. Chelsea to win is, therefore, the first betting tip for this preview.
As for the side markets, there are some strange figures in the goals betting. Both Teams to Score remains short but the Total Goals bets are higher than usual. Neither side is scoring heavily at the moment, but the 14/5 price on Over 3.5 goals looks too good to turn down.
This is one of those matches that should follow recent trends. Brighton retain the same players who battled so well under Graham Potter and they will turn things around. Potter’s influence is now being felt at Stamford Bridge and we expect the Blues to come through in a high scoring away victory.
Matt Harris is a football & golf writer for Just Bookies. Other sports in his portfolio of specialities include cricket. Matt has contributed to innumerable large organisations and media brands. These include: Betfair, BetVictor, USA Betting & Unibet. 