Chelsea faced Brighton in a Premier League match on Tuesday without key players Cole Palmer and João Pedro, both sidelined due to persistent injuries, as confirmed by manager Liam Rosenior. These absences come at a critical time, especially with the FA Cup semifinal approaching.

Cole Palmer, despite having played the entirety of Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United, was experiencing hamstring tightness. The Chelsea manager stated before kickoff, "Cole has had a bit of tightness in his hamstring that he's been carrying. He's going to be out for this game, and we'll see how he moves on for the FA Cup semifinal." Palmer has been a significant contributor this season, netting 10 goals across all competitions.

Brazilian international João Pedro was also unavailable, suffering from a thigh injury that caused him to miss the prior game against Manchester United. Pedro has been a prolific scorer for Chelsea this campaign, with 19 goals across all competitions. However, there is optimism regarding his return, as Rosenior expressed his expectation for Pedro to be fit for the crucial FA Cup semifinal against Leeds, scheduled for Sunday at Wembley Stadium.

The team's injury woes add to a challenging period for Chelsea, who have endured a difficult run of form in the Premier League. They have now lost four consecutive league games, failing to score in each of those matches, highlighting the urgency for their key offensive players to return to action.