Chelsea team news: Gomez and Milner ruled out, Mitoma available

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Read the full preview ahead of Tuesday night's game.

Charlie Hanson

2026-04-20T10:25+01:00

Diego Gomez picked up a knee injury in the draw with Tottenham. 📸 by James Boardman.

Albion will look to continue their fine run of form when they take on Chelsea at the Amex on Tuesday, kick-off 8pm.

Team news

Kaoru Mitoma replaced Diego Gomez, going on to score our first goal in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham. 📸 by James Boardman.

Fabian Hurzeler confirmed on Monday morning that Diego Gomez, Solly March and James Milner will miss the game against the Blues.

Kaoru Mitoma was substituted in the draw with Tottenham, but is expected to return.

"Kaoru is good," Hurzeler said. "He just had some cramps. He felt it a little bit in the warm-up. But he had a very effective short performance on the pitch, scoring the equaliser, he had some good actions. It was just a minor issue and he will be available tomorrow.

"James Milner isn't ready yet, but I'm sure that we'll see him back in the season.

"Solly has a minor issue. In training he training a small muscle, I wouldn't say injury, but an issue we have to be aware of. He won't be available tomorrow. But then he should be back.

Chelsea will be without Levi Colwill, Jamie Gittens, Filip Jorgensen, Reece James and Estevao, while Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez are set to be assessed.

Their last line-up

Tonight's Chelsea. 🔵📋#CFC | #CHEMUN pic.twitter.com/aqCzLZ1QyC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 18, 2026

Matheus Cunha grabbed the only goal of the game as Manchester United beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Match facts

Brighton have won their last two league games against Chelsea, as many times as they had in their first 19 against the Blues (D4 L13).

Having been unbeaten in their first five Premier League away games against Brighton (W3 D2), Chelsea have now lost two of their last three visits to the Amex Stadium (W1).

Since the start of 2022-23, Brighton have scored 2+ goals in six of their seven league games against Chelsea, netting 17 times in total (2.4 per game). Between 1983-84 and 2021-22, they never scored more than once in 14 league games against Chelsea, netting just six goals in that time (0.4 per game).

Chelsea have lost two of their last four Premier League games when scoring first against Brighton, including in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge. The only two occasions that the Blues have scored first and lost both games against a team in one Premier League season were in 1992-93 vs Norwich and 2009-10 vs Manchester City.

Brighton’s last nine home Premier League matches have averaged just 1.8 goals per game, with 16 goals scored by the Seagulls (9) and their opponents (7). In their first seven home games in 2025-26, the average goals-per-game at the Amex was twice as high at 3.6 goals per game, with 25 goals scored.

Since a run of four clean sheets in five away Premier League games between October and December, Chelsea have gone eight in a row without one on the road. However, their xG against per game was actually higher in that run of four shutouts in five games (1.42) than in their eight without one (1.30).

Chelsea have won just three of their last 14 Premier League games on a Tuesday (D6 L5), conceding two or more goals in five of their last six. Away from home, they’ve lost five of their last six on the road on this day (D1) since a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in July 2020.

Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler has never lost a Premier League match against an English manager in nine meetings (W7 D2), unbeaten against Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe, Gary O'Neil, Graham Potter, and Scott Parker. Only Luiz Felipe Scolari has managed more times against Englishmen in the competition without losing (11).

Danny Welbeck has been involved in seven goals in eight Premier League appearances against Chelsea for Brighton (5 goals, 2 assists). In his 10 appearances against the Blues before that for Sunderland, Man Utd, Arsenal, and Watford, he only scored one goal and didn’t assist any goals.

Cole Palmer has five goals in his last three Premier League appearances against Brighton and Hove Albion, with four of those coming in one game at Stamford Bridge in September 2024. He’s had 16 shots in his last three games against the Seagulls, making up 43% of Chelsea’s total attempts in those matches.

Match officials