Chelsea's team news for their Brighton match was leaked hours before kickoff through a social media post allegedly from Marc Cucurella's barber. The post revealed that Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro would be absent, which proved accurate when the official lineup was announced. Palmer's hamstring injury had not been publicly disclosed, while Joao Pedro had undergone a morning fitness test.

The post, which appeared to target Fantasy Premier League advice accounts, has since been deleted along with the entire account. Liam Rosenior, known for keeping team selections secret by holding pre-match news conferences two days in advance, said the club has dealt with previous leaks from Chelsea, claiming they came "from no place of malicious intent." The club has not denied the post's authenticity when questioned by BBC Sport.

This marks the third reported leak since Rosenior's appointment in January. Previous leaks occurred during Chelsea's Champions League tie with Paris St-Germain. Chelsea currently sit seventh in the Premier League with four matches remaining and will face Leeds in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium.