Chelsea endured a miserable evening at the Amex Stadium as Brighton cruised to a 3-0 victory, leaving Enzo Maresca’s side frustrated and toothless in attack.
A stunning solo goal from Kaoru Mitoma and a brace from Yankuba Minteh secured all three points for the hosts, while Chelsea failed to register a single shot on target for the first time in the league since 2021.
It was a night to forget for the Blues, who lacked cutting edge without a recognized striker.
The result, coming just days after Chelsea’s FA Cup elimination at the same venue, raises further questions about Maresca’s tactical approach and the team’s ability to sustain their push for a top-four finish.
Despite a promising start, Chelsea fell behind in the 27th minute to a moment of brilliance from Mitoma. The Japanese winger controlled Bart Verbruggen’s long pass with an exquisite first touch before cutting inside and curling a precise shot past Filip Jorgensen.
Jamie Carragher likened the goal to something Lionel Messi would produce, calling it “pure genius.”
Just 11 minutes later, Brighton doubled their lead. Enzo Fernández thought he had equalized with a header, but the goal was ruled out for a push in the box. Almost immediately, Brighton capitalized on Chelsea’s defensive lapse. Georginio Rutter’s low cross caused chaos in the Chelsea area, and Minteh reacted quickest to fire into the net from close range.
Chelsea dominated possession after the break but failed to turn it into meaningful opportunities. With no recognized striker available, Maresca opted for a fluid front line of Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku, but the lack of a focal point proved costly.
Brighton sealed the victory just after the hour mark when Levi Colwill lost possession in midfield, allowing Welbeck to slide Minteh through on goal. The young winger cut inside Cucurella before his shot took a slight deflection off Trevoh Chalobah and beat Jorgensen.
Maresca made changes, introducing Reece James, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and youngster Tyrique George, but Chelsea never looked like mounting a comeback. Brighton had further chances to extend their lead, with Mitoma and João Pedro both going close.
After the match, a dejected Maresca admitted it was Chelsea’s worst display since his arrival.
“Tonight is the worst performance since I arrived, but we are still in the race to finish in the top four,” he told Sky Sports. “We feel really sorry for the fans that came here. We need to do much better than we did tonight.”
The defeat leaves Chelsea in fourth place, but with Manchester City and Newcastle set to play over the weekend, their cushion in the top four could shrink.
Chelsea will look to bounce back when they travel to Aston Villa next Saturday. With injuries piling up and form dipping, Maresca faces a critical few weeks in keeping Chelsea’s Champions League hopes alive.
