Chelsea have won all four of their previous league games against Brighton, though this will be the first such meeting since March 1989 in the second tier.
 
Brighton have failed to score in the last three of their four league games against the Blues, which includes both matches at Stamford Bridge.
 
Indeed, Brighton’s only victory in any competition against Chelsea came in their first such meeting – 2-1 in an FA Cup tie in January 1933.
 
This will be the first ever top-flight meeting between these sides – Brighton will be Chelsea’s 60th different opponent in the top tier of English football.
 
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League games played on Boxing Day (W7 D5), since a 2-4 loss at Charlton in 2003.
 
Meanwhile, Brighton haven’t won any of their last eight league games on December 26th (D3 L5), since beating QPR in the Championship in 2005.
 
This is the 17th occasion in the last 21 Premier League seasons that Chelsea have found themselves in the top four on Christmas Day – the only exceptions in this period being 2015-16 (15th), 2001-02 (6th), 2000-1 (9th) and 1999-00 (10th).