Brighton delivered a commanding performance to secure a dominant 3-0 victory over Chelsea, piling further pressure on their manager. The result marked Chelsea’s third defeat in four matches and left them struggling to regain momentum.
The breakthrough came from Kaoru Mitoma, whose breathtaking control and finish opened the scoring. The Japan winger’s first touch to control a long ball from his goalkeeper was immaculate, and he calmly slotted past the Chelsea keeper to set Brighton on their way. Yankuba Minteh doubled the lead before halftime, capitalizing on a disorganized Chelsea defense to slot home from close range after being set up by Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea struggled to create meaningful opportunities, with their attack failing to register a single shot on target. Cole Palmer, deployed as a false nine, endured a frustrating evening, misfiring on a couple of occasions before being encouraged to acknowledge the traveling supporters after the final whistle. Meanwhile, Brighton remained relentless, and Minteh struck again in the second half after a misplaced pass from Levi Colwill gifted him an easy finish.
Brighton could have added to their tally, with Mitoma, João Pedro, and Joël Veltman all coming close to further punishing their opponents. Chelsea’s expensively assembled squad now finds themselves in a precarious position, with their ambitions of Champions League qualification under threat.
The visiting supporters voiced their frustrations, particularly toward former Brighton players Moisés Caicedo and Marc Cucurella, who were jeered whenever they touched the ball. Meanwhile, Brighton’s manager had called for an improvement in their home form, and his players responded in style, delivering an energetic and disciplined performance.
Despite a second-half reshuffle, Chelsea failed to mount a serious comeback. Minteh and Georginio Rutter combined effectively in attack, while Brighton’s defense remained solid. The visitors’ defensive frailties were further exposed when Welbeck played Minteh through for his second goal of the night. In response, Chelsea made several substitutions, but the changes failed to turn the tide.
Brighton continued to push forward in the latter stages, with Mitoma and Pedro missing further chances before Veltman struck the post. For Chelsea, the night could have ended in an even heavier defeat, and their manager now faces increasing pressure to turn things around before the season slips away.
