Chelsea's hopes of turning around their season have taken a hit as both Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro will miss the upcoming match against Brighton. Palmer is dealing with a hamstring issue that has kept him out of action, and he faces a race against time to recover for the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United. Manager Rosenior confirmed that Palmer has been carrying tightness in his hamstring for some time. Meanwhile, Joao Pedro, who also missed the recent defeat to Manchester United, returned to training but is not yet fit for this match. In their absence, Liam Delap will start as the striker, while Romeo Lavia and Trevoh Chalobah are also included in the starting lineup. Chelsea is currently in a precarious position, sitting seven points off the top five and in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification after suffering four consecutive losses.