"They sleep, then they wake up, then they go back to sleep" - Dimitar Berbatov makes prediction for Chelsea vs Brighton
Former Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov has predicted the upcoming Premier League clash between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion to end in a draw. The two sides are set to face each other at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, December 3.
The Blues have been extremely inconsistent this season under Mauricio Pochettino, despite spending more than £400 million over the summer. Despite holding Manchester City to a 4-4 draw and dismantling Tottenham Hotspur 4-1, they are 10th in the table with just 16 points from 13 games. They have won four games, drawn four, and lost five.
On the other hand, Brighton have struggled to balance Premier League football alongside playing in the UEFA Europa League. They have been struck with numerous injury issues and have won just one out of their last five league games. Despite this, the Seagulls are still above Chelsea in the standings in eighth position with 22 points.
Berbatov gave his prediction, writing (via Betfair):
"I don't even know how to describe Chelsea anymore. They sleep, then they wake up, then they go back to sleep. I don't know what type of season they think they're having right now. I don't think it's good enough for what they want to achieve."
He added:
"On the other hand, Brighton are happy with their position in the table, but they probably could be higher because the points are there to be taken. I'll go for a draw."
Berbatov's Prediction: 2-2
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino provides injury updates on 2 stars ahead of Brighton clash
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino provided injury updates on Christopher Nkunku and Romero Lavia, hinting that the former could feature against Brighton on Sunday.
Nkunku signed a six-year deal with the Blues after arriving at Stamford Bridge over the summer from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £52 million. The 26-year-old looked impressive during pre-season but suffered a serious knee injury towards the end resulting in surgery being required.
As a result, Nkunku has missed all 19 games of the Blues' games to date. However, he has been spotted in team training and could be in line to make his debut soon.
During the Brighton pre-match press conference, Pochettino said (via The Chelsea Chronicle):
“We need to assess tomorrow and then decide. They are close, but we need tomorrow to make a decision. Maybe Lavia is the more difficult [one] but we need to assess Nkunku for tomorrow.”
Romeo Lavia has also yet to make his debut for the west London outfit since joining from Southampton during the summer. The 19-year-old defensive midfielder suffered an ankle injury in mid-September and has missed 11 games across all competitions since then.