Brighton delivered a stunning 3-0 defeat to a lacklustre Chelsea, with Kaoru Mitoma’s spectacular strike leading the charge at the Amex Stadium on Friday.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca admitted it was the club’s worst performance under his tenure as his side failed to register a single shot on target, suffering their second loss in seven days against Brighton.
Mitoma, who also netted the winner in last weekend’s FA Cup clash between the sides, tormented Chelsea again, setting the tone with a moment of brilliance in the first half. Gambia winger Yankuba Minteh then added a brace, sealing a dominant victory for the hosts.
Maresca, who has been tasked with securing Champions League qualification within two years, saw Chelsea suffer their third defeat in four matches across all competitions, putting their top-four hopes in jeopardy.
“I feel pressure always, not only now,” Maresca admitted. “But tonight, the performance was the worst since I arrived. We feel really sorry for the fans who came here.”
Chelsea’s defensive frailties were exposed once again, leaving them just two points ahead of Manchester City and Newcastle in the battle for fourth place.
Despite their own struggles—having won only two of their previous 12 league games—Brighton responded emphatically to their recent 7-0 thrashing at Nottingham Forest by dismantling Chelsea twice in quick succession.
Cole Palmer, who started the season in red-hot form, endured another frustrating evening, missing two key chances in the first half. Chelsea’s injury woes worsened as Noni Madueke limped off early on.
Brighton’s opener came in the 27th minute, courtesy of a breathtaking piece of skill from Mitoma. Controlling a long goal-kick with a sublime touch, he then outmaneuvered Trevoh Chalobah before curling a precise finish into the far corner.
Chelsea briefly thought they had levelled when Enzo Fernandez headed home from a Malo Gusto cross, but the goal was disallowed for a blatant push.
Minutes later, Brighton doubled their lead. A sloppy giveaway in Chelsea’s own half allowed Danny Welbeck to set up Minteh, who skipped past Marc Cucurella before firing in from close range.
The humiliation was complete in the 63rd minute when Chelsea appealed for a foul on Levi Colwill, only for Welbeck to release Minteh again. The winger made no mistake, dancing past Cucurella and smashing in Brighton’s third.
With their top-four hopes hanging by a thread, Maresca’s Chelsea face mounting pressure to turn things around quickly.
