29 min
Another Chelsea chance goes begging. Brighton give the ball away inside their own half, and in the blink of an eye Hazard is bearing down on goal. The shot looks on from the edge of the box, but Hazard flicks a pass to Batshuayi instead. Batshuayi does well to cut inside and get a powerful shot away, but it's too close to Ryan, who can beat the ball away with his fists. Delaying the inevitable? It certainly feels that way.
27 min
The Chelsea front three combine again, this time to send Willian scampering clear down the right. The Brazilian gets a shot away but Ryan makes the save at his near post. You do fear for Brighton today - Chelsea look lethal on the counter.
24 min
Brighton are really struggling to live with the brilliant movement of Willian, Batshuayi, and Hazard. The latter two combine to try and send Hazard clear, but Duffy sticks out a desperate leg to get the ball clear.
21 min
Chelsea's stand-in Caballero has made a very nervy start here. Just minutes after that penalty appeal, he comes charging out of his goal at a corner and is beaten to it by Duffy. Luckily his blushes are spared by the linesman's flag going up for offside moments later.
18 min
Chelsea look like scoring every time they go forward. On this occasion, Bakayoko fizzes in a low shot that Ryan beats away at his near post.
16 min
Brighton are very unlucky not to get a penalty. Caballero flaps at a cross, and then comes out to close down Schelotto. The Chelsea keeper clips Schelotto but referee Jon Moss waves away the penalty appeals. "VAR VAR" I start chanting in my head.
15 min
March gets Brighton's first shot of the day away after leaving Kante for dead with a clever Cruyff turn. It's an easy save for Caballero though, straight down his throat from about 25 yards out.
13 min
Schelotto makes a mess of his right-wing cross, as Brighton get in behind Chelsea for the first time. Bit of a waste, that.
12 min
Chelsea remain on the front foot, but Alonso's corner is headed clear.
10 min
Every Chelsea player gathered in a huddle after Willian's goal to celebrate what really was an outstanding exhibition of pacy, purposeful counter attacking. Brighton's players look shell-shocked.
GOAL! Brighton 0 Chelsea 2 (Willian 6')
What a goal that is! Chelsea double their lead with a sensational second. Willian pings a pass to Hazard who flicks the ball to Batshuayi, who in turn back-heels a perfect pass back to Willian. The Brazilian strides onto it and buries a finish first time beyond Ryan at the near post. One of the team goals of the season.
GOAL! Brighton 0 Chelsea 1 (Hazard 3')
Moses' low cross is deflected into Hazard's path about 12 yards out. The Belgian shifts the ball onto his right foot and smashes a finish past Ryan. Dream start for Chelsea.
3 min
Hazard wins an early free-kick about 35 yards from goal. Willian decides to shoot when a cross looked like the better option. Ryan makes an easy save in the Brighton goal.
Kick-off
We're under way at the Amex Stadium, following a minute's applause for the late Cyrille Regis. It's absolutely bucketing it down on the south coast.
A reminder of the teams below. Murray only on the Brighton bench, while Chelsea must make do without the suspended Morata and the injured Courtois, Fabregas and Cahill.
Brighton XI: Ryan; Suttner, Schelotto, Duffy, Dunk; Goldson, Gross, March, Stephens; Propper, Hemed.
Subs: Hunemeier, Kayal, Baldock, Murray, Izquierdo, Rosenior, Krul.
Chelsea XI: Caballero; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Hazard.
Subs: Barkley, Musonda, Zappacosta, Luiz, Eduardo, Ampadu, Sterling.
Teams are in the tunnel
Kick-off five minutes away.
Ever present Willian
What Batshuayi would give to be one of Conte's go-to players in the same vein as Willian.
Brighton face uphill task
A glance over the stats doesn't make happy reading for Brighton fans - nor coach Hughton.
Chelsea have won all five of their league matches against today's opponents. Should they win this match, only one team will have a better 100 per cent record against an opponent since the Football League began in 1888 (Wimbledon against Bournemouth, eight wins out of eight).
Hughton, meanwhile, is winless in seven matches against Chelsea in all competitions (D2 L5), losing each of the last five; his only victory against them came in the League Cup in September 2010, a 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge for Newcastle.
Batshuayi handed opening - can he deliver?
Batshuayi has been handed the chance to address Chelsea's goal-drought after being handed his first Premier League start by Conte since October 14 when they lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace.
While the 24-year-old started and scored in Chelsea's FA Cup penalty-shoot scramble against Norwich in mid-week, the Belgian has not been part of Conte's plans in the league in recent months.
Chelsea are desperately trying to boost their resources with Peter Crouch the latest surprise name linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Batshuayi has his chance to prove Conte and his doubters wrong and that he still has a future in west London this lunchtime.
How Brighton line-up
Brighton: Ryan, Goldson, Duffy, Dunk, Schelotto, Stephens, Propper, Suttner, March, Gross, Hemed.
Subs: Hunemeier, Kayal, Baldock, Murray, Izquierdo, Rosenior, Krul.
Chris Hughton's men have made five changes to the side that lost 2-0 to West Brom last week with Connor Goldson, Ezequiel Schelotto, Markus Suttner, Solly March and Tomer Hemed replacing Gaetan Bong, Jose Izquierdo, Bruno, Anthony Knockaert and Glenn Murray
Chelsea team news is in - Batshuayi starts
Willy Caballero replaces the injured Thibaut Courtois in goal while Michy Batshuayi is handed a rare start in the Premier League. Barkley will have to wait for his full debut. He starts on the bench.
Chelsea: Caballero; Azpilicueta (c), Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Hazard.
Will Barkley be handed full debut?
Morning all. Welcome to coverage of today's early match where we're just 10 minutes away from the team announcements.
Chelsea will be without injured duo Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas but new signing Ross Barkley could make his debut as he inches towards full match fitness, manager Antonio Conte said at his presser earlier this week.
Barkley played 70 minutes in a friendly game on Thursday and is in contention to play a part. The former Everton player has not played this season due to a hamstring injury sustained at the start of the campaign.
The 24-year-old signed a five and a half year contract with Chelsea earlier this month after he initially turned down a move to Stamford Bridge in the close season.
"Ross is a in a good physical condition. For tomorrow he is in the squad. I don't know if during the game I decide to give him the chance to play a part or if I want to wait," Conte said. "He has to continue to improve, work with us, with our idea."
Chelsea are fourth in the table, level on 47 points with Liverpool above them while Brighton have dropped to 16th after failing to win in their last four league games.
29 min
Another Chelsea chance goes begging. Brighton give the ball away inside their own half, and in the blink of an eye Hazard is bearing down on goal. The shot looks on from the edge of the box, but Hazard flicks a pass to Batshuayi instead. Batshuayi does well to cut inside and get a powerful shot away, but it's too close to Ryan, who can beat the ball away with his fists. Delaying the inevitable? It certainly feels that way.
27 min
The Chelsea front three combine again, this time to send Willian scampering clear down the right. The Brazilian gets a shot away but Ryan makes the save at his near post. You do fear for Brighton today - Chelsea look lethal on the counter.
24 min
Brighton are really struggling to live with the brilliant movement of Willian, Batshuayi, and Hazard. The latter two combine to try and send Hazard clear, but Duffy sticks out a desperate leg to get the ball clear.
21 min
Chelsea's stand-in Caballero has made a very nervy start here. Just minutes after that penalty appeal, he comes charging out of his goal at a corner and is beaten to it by Duffy. Luckily his blushes are spared by the linesman's flag going up for offside moments later.
18 min
Chelsea look like scoring every time they go forward. On this occasion, Bakayoko fizzes in a low shot that Ryan beats away at his near post.
16 min
Brighton are very unlucky not to get a penalty. Caballero flaps at a cross, and then comes out to close down Schelotto. The Chelsea keeper clips Schelotto but referee Jon Moss waves away the penalty appeals. "VAR VAR" I start chanting in my head.
15 min
March gets Brighton's first shot of the day away after leaving Kante for dead with a clever Cruyff turn. It's an easy save for Caballero though, straight down his throat from about 25 yards out.
13 min
Schelotto makes a mess of his right-wing cross, as Brighton get in behind Chelsea for the first time. Bit of a waste, that.
12 min
Chelsea remain on the front foot, but Alonso's corner is headed clear.
10 min
Every Chelsea player gathered in a huddle after Willian's goal to celebrate what really was an outstanding exhibition of pacy, purposeful counter attacking. Brighton's players look shell-shocked.
GOAL! Brighton 0 Chelsea 2 (Willian 6')
What a goal that is! Chelsea double their lead with a sensational second. Willian pings a pass to Hazard who flicks the ball to Batshuayi, who in turn back-heels a perfect pass back to Willian. The Brazilian strides onto it and buries a finish first time beyond Ryan at the near post. One of the team goals of the season.
GOAL! Brighton 0 Chelsea 1 (Hazard 3')
Moses' low cross is deflected into Hazard's path about 12 yards out. The Belgian shifts the ball onto his right foot and smashes a finish past Ryan. Dream start for Chelsea.
3 min
Hazard wins an early free-kick about 35 yards from goal. Willian decides to shoot when a cross looked like the better option. Ryan makes an easy save in the Brighton goal.
Kick-off
We're under way at the Amex Stadium, following a minute's applause for the late Cyrille Regis. It's absolutely bucketing it down on the south coast.
A reminder of the teams below. Murray only on the Brighton bench, while Chelsea must make do without the suspended Morata and the injured Courtois, Fabregas and Cahill.
Brighton XI: Ryan; Suttner, Schelotto, Duffy, Dunk; Goldson, Gross, March, Stephens; Propper, Hemed.
Subs: Hunemeier, Kayal, Baldock, Murray, Izquierdo, Rosenior, Krul.
Chelsea XI: Caballero; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Hazard.
Subs: Barkley, Musonda, Zappacosta, Luiz, Eduardo, Ampadu, Sterling.
Teams are in the tunnel
Kick-off five minutes away.
Ever present Willian
What Batshuayi would give to be one of Conte's go-to players in the same vein as Willian.
Brighton face uphill task
A glance over the stats doesn't make happy reading for Brighton fans - nor coach Hughton.
Chelsea have won all five of their league matches against today's opponents. Should they win this match, only one team will have a better 100 per cent record against an opponent since the Football League began in 1888 (Wimbledon against Bournemouth, eight wins out of eight).
Hughton, meanwhile, is winless in seven matches against Chelsea in all competitions (D2 L5), losing each of the last five; his only victory against them came in the League Cup in September 2010, a 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge for Newcastle.
Batshuayi handed opening - can he deliver?
Batshuayi has been handed the chance to address Chelsea's goal-drought after being handed his first Premier League start by Conte since October 14 when they lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace.
While the 24-year-old started and scored in Chelsea's FA Cup penalty-shoot scramble against Norwich in mid-week, the Belgian has not been part of Conte's plans in the league in recent months.
Chelsea are desperately trying to boost their resources with Peter Crouch the latest surprise name linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Batshuayi has his chance to prove Conte and his doubters wrong and that he still has a future in west London this lunchtime.
How Brighton line-up
Brighton: Ryan, Goldson, Duffy, Dunk, Schelotto, Stephens, Propper, Suttner, March, Gross, Hemed.
Subs: Hunemeier, Kayal, Baldock, Murray, Izquierdo, Rosenior, Krul.
Chris Hughton's men have made five changes to the side that lost 2-0 to West Brom last week with Connor Goldson, Ezequiel Schelotto, Markus Suttner, Solly March and Tomer Hemed replacing Gaetan Bong, Jose Izquierdo, Bruno, Anthony Knockaert and Glenn Murray
Chelsea team news is in - Batshuayi starts
Willy Caballero replaces the injured Thibaut Courtois in goal while Michy Batshuayi is handed a rare start in the Premier League. Barkley will have to wait for his full debut. He starts on the bench.
Chelsea: Caballero; Azpilicueta (c), Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Hazard.
Will Barkley be handed full debut?
Morning all. Welcome to coverage of today's early match where we're just 10 minutes away from the team announcements.
Chelsea will be without injured duo Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas but new signing Ross Barkley could make his debut as he inches towards full match fitness, manager Antonio Conte said at his presser earlier this week.
Barkley played 70 minutes in a friendly game on Thursday and is in contention to play a part. The former Everton player has not played this season due to a hamstring injury sustained at the start of the campaign.
The 24-year-old signed a five and a half year contract with Chelsea earlier this month after he initially turned down a move to Stamford Bridge in the close season.
"Ross is a in a good physical condition. For tomorrow he is in the squad. I don't know if during the game I decide to give him the chance to play a part or if I want to wait," Conte said. "He has to continue to improve, work with us, with our idea."
Chelsea are fourth in the table, level on 47 points with Liverpool above them while Brighton have dropped to 16th after failing to win in their last four league games.