Chelsea should be ahead.

From a corner they work crossing space for Cesc Fabregas and his ball to the back stick is superbly headed down by Antonio Rudiger only for Tiemoue Bakayoko to turn wide from four yards.

I think the header down just came at Bakayoko too quickly because that looked a certain goal.

It's a bit flat and suddenly it's the away side asking the questions for a brief spell.

N'Golo Kante is having a strange game. He's broken plenty up but his passing is a bit off mark so far. This time a cross-field ball goes straight out.

It's unlike him. Maybe his Christmas Day was a belter?

Brighton right-back Ezequiel Schelotto gets forward to join an attack and delivers low into the area via a deflection. It's prodded clear.

Brighton come forward again though. It's hardly a siege but they may be feeling tad more confident. This time the cross is from the left and is a diagonal into the area... Tomer Hemed is interested but Antonio Rudiger comes up with a key defensive header.

Hemed would have been very well placed.

Image source, Reuters

Eden Hazard looks to be moving OK again now and he tries to work space 30 yards out with a one-two. Brighton's defence is bunched and hard to break through though. It's like a basketball defending the paint if you will.

No room for the home side to pick their way to the net...

Image source, Getty Images

After their 20th fixture of the campaign last season, Chelsea were sitting pretty at the top of the table, a whopping five points clear of Liverpool.

They had 49 points, a win today would take them to 42. There will be those who point to failings but even if the Blues had replicated their levels from last season they'd still be adrift of City by half a dozen points or so.

Home fixtures against Brighton and Stoke look - on paper at least - like they could send them into the new year with a spring. It looks too little too late and that a race for second place is all that's to be had.

Brighton's shape sports a clear back four with five midfielders spread across in front. It's notable that they don't press and instead sit in their own half. When an error comes from Chelsea, Beram Kayal tries to break free but N'Golo Kante is so fast to come across and stop him from crossing halfway. Good defensive midfield play by both men really.

I'm keeping an eye on Eden Hazard as he looks to be walking a little gingerly.

Chelsea come forward again, cross from Victor Moses, clearance from Lewis Dunk.

Image source, Reuters

Lord Sebastian Coe is in the stadium...

Image source, Reuters

As is Mr Roy Hodgson...

Image source, Reuters

Alvaro Morata breaks through the away defence all too easily but the ball is getting away from him near the dead-ball line. He manages to fashion a corner as Mat Ryan dives at his feet.

The ease of that does not bode well for Brighton. Moments later Hazard picks the ball up 35 yard out but his shot is 15ft wide.

Jonathan Pearce
BBC Match of the Day commentator at Stamford Bridge

With the teams around them in the table all having winnable-looking back-to-back games to round off 2017, Chelsea must take advantage of this game, and Stoke at home on Saturday.

They deserved better at Everton.Twenty-five shots was their highest tally in a Premier League game without scoring since January 2014.

Brighton's first win in eight games, against Watford, has restored confidence. It was lovely to see Connor Goldson turning in a man-of-the-match performance nine months afterlife-saving heart surgery.

Shane Duffy's return from suspension gives Chris Hughton a selection headache.

They will be conservative. If they're too cautious, Chelsea will pick them off as Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham have done. But if they counter with urgency, they could get a surprise draw here against tired Chelsea legs.

N'Golo Kante with a loose pass in midfield, that will evade Eden Hazard. Kante does what Kante does though and hounds an error immediately near halfway. The game is not yet settled but now Gary Cahill has some time at the back. Brighton drop into shape, Chelsea look to pull them around...

Brighton get us rolling and try to ping a diagonal from the kick-off, almost as if starting a Six Nations game. Possession is turned over easily and Chelsea have it...

A sporting handshake in the middle of the pitch after Gary Cahill and Lewis Dunk conduct the coin toss. In the dugout, a sporting handshake between Chris Hughton and Antonio Conte.

Too many broken hearts in the world

There's to many dreams can be broken in two.

Too many broken hearts in the world

So I want give up the fight for you.

Image source, Getty Images

The last time these two teams met, Jason Donovan was number one in the UK charts with his hit 'Too many broken hearts'.

The date? 15 March 1989. That's right, it's not far off three decades since the Blues met the Seagulls.

Image source, PA

Players in the tunnel. One set of blue tracksuits, one set of darker blue. A flag is passed around by home fans while other flags are out on the pitch. Boxing Day football warmth flows through the bodies of the freezing. Let's go.

But next, some Jason Donovan...

Oooohhh we're halfway there,

Woah hoah, livin' on a prayer....

Image source, Getty Images

But the reality is Brighton are way past the halfway mark.

As they battle like they are seeking glory in a Game of Thrones episode, it would be worth pointing to how good a chance they have of winning in their fight to stay up.

Chris Hughton has ground 21 points out. Now Premier League protocol at this time of year calls on managers/fans/pundits to start talking about the '40 point mark' as some sort of promised land.

The reality is (and I've looked at the numbers) that 37 points should keep you up.

The last side who needed 40 to survive did so in 2010-11 - Wolverhampton Wanderers. In the six seasons since, an average of 36.16 kept sides up.

Five wins and a draw and the Seagulls should be safe.

Image source, .

It looks like it's going to be a right scrap for Brighton. The smattering of early-season wins have faded a little and they arrive at Stamford Bridge with one win in eight. What's worse is they have just two goals to their name in six matches.

But they of course beat Watford last time out, so perhaps they have something to push on from now, a renewed belief if you will.

Image source, Getty Images

The players slide away down the tunnel, their muscles warm, their hearts pounding. Time for a final few instructions before they are sent out to entertain us at this special time of year.

I rattled through cinematic extravaganzas such as Toy Story 3, Jumanji and wait for it... The Holiday yesterday.

Will this reach Buzz Lightyear altitude?

Hopefully the players keep their heads and deliver.

Image source, Buzz lightyear costume fancy dress minus the head

Image source, Getty Images

As I have mentioned, Chris Hughton is keen on a bit more quality in the January transfer window. But if you support either of these sides, what for you is top priority?

Tweet me on #bbcfootball.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea have won five games in a row on home soil in the league, three of them by a goal to nil. They are turning Stamford Bridge into a rascal of a place to play at again.

Brighton have not scored a goal in their past three trips on the road and lost them all, so this looks a tough ask indeed.

Chris Hughton's side have managed five goals in nine away games this season. Little wonder he has already admitted they need a bit more quality in the January sales.