Chelsea always means a bit more to Brighton
- Published
In the same way Brighton's intense rivalry with one south London club Crystal Palace emerged out of circumstance rather than geography in the 1970s, so an irritation with Chelsea is emerging now.
The reality is Chelsea have used their financial muscle to not only plunder Brighton's playing squad but manager Graham Potter and his backroom staff as well as recruitment specialists Sam Jewell and Paul Winstanley.
It gives an extra edge to meetings between the pair, particularly at Amex Stadium, and why the controversial manner of last Saturday's FA Cup success even sweeter.
But the league return is important beyond merely extending Brighton's bragging rights.
It has been a strange first season under Fabian Hurzeler, with positive periods being followed by difficult ones.
In Premier League terms, Brighton go into the Chelsea game on the back of a 7-0 hammering by Nottingham Forest and a very disappointing home defeat by Everton.
Hurzeler's side are delicately placed at the bottom of the top half of the table - with a small cushion, no more than that, to loads of teams below.
Supporters want to beat Chelsea because it's Chelsea. Brighton as a club need to win to stay clear of a slippery slope.