Chelsea are a team in transition, but what a transition it is. Xabi Alonso has walked into Stamford Bridge with a reputation for slick, possession-based football, and the early signs are that he wants his Chelsea side to dominate through the middle of the park. The recent west London derby at Craven Cottage was a statement of intent — a new era, a new shape, and a squad oozing with attacking talent. Cole Palmer remains the creative heartbeat, the man who can knife through any low block, and with Joao Pedro leading the line, there is genuine goal threat in this side. The 3-4-2-1 system is designed to overload the final third, with wing-backs providing the width and the two number tens drifting into those half-spaces where Brighton's midfield can get dragged out of shape.

Brighton, meanwhile, are no mugs. They opened their season with a home win over Aston Villa, and there is real quality in that squad — Verbruggen in goal, Wieffer and Gross in the double pivot, and Rutter buzzing around the final third. They managed ten clean sheets last season, bettered by only six teams, so they know how to defend. But there is a fragility there too. They lost key men in the transfer market, and the recent injury list is a concern. Andersen is suspended, Cairney is out with a knee problem, and there are question marks over a few others. This is a Brighton side that can hurt you on the counter, but can they handle a full-throttle Chelsea at the Bridge? We are not so sure.