Brighton manager Graham Potter is relishing the challenge of facing Chelsea in the opening Premier League clash of the season.
And the Seagulls boss feels it is exciting for the rest of the Premier League to see the Blues spending big in the transfer window to bring in the likes of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech this summer.
The Seagulls welcome Frank Lampard’s Blues to the Amex Stadium tomorrow, less than a month after clashing in a pre-season friendly on the south coast last month.
On that occasion, Pascal Gross scored a penalty to cancel out Chelsea summer signing Timo Werner’s early opener for the Blues as the game finished 1-1, although Lampard will now also be able to call upon Kai Havertz after he joined the Blues ahead of their first game of the new Premier League season.
Speaking ahead of the game, Brighton boss Potter has given his verdict on Chelsea's summer transfer business, with the Blues being heavily tipped to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City in the league this season.
And he said it is exciting for clubs like Brighton to try and compete alongside the likes of Chelsea in the Premier League.
“I think you have to be realistic and say there are teams up the top who are in the Champions League regularly who have a different economic situation to us," he said.
“We have to find ways to compete with that, that’s what it is and it is what makes the league so exciting and interesting.
“Everyone has different aims, but we have to focus on ourselves and what is right for us, with the economic challenges we have faced and the uncertainty of the last few months."
But could it be a good time to play Chelsea up first, with Lampard having several new signings to try and gel together?
Potter is not so sure it will be, having delivered a warning for his players.
“Who knows? There is an argument for what you are saying, but these players are top players and they could just gel very quickly and hit the ground running,” he said.
“I can’t control how quickly Chelsea become the team they want to become.
"I have to focus on my team and getting us to the maximum level we can, because if we don’t do that it doesn’t matter what Chelsea do, we are going to struggle.”
