Chelsea’s night against Brighton & Hove Albion turned into one to forget as the team suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat. Manager Enzo Maresca did not hide his disappointment, calling it the worst performance since he took charge of the club.
The match saw Chelsea struggling to create any real attacking threat, failing to register even a single shot on target. Brighton, on the other hand, displayed dominance, with Kaoru Mitoma opening the scoring with a stunning strike.
Yankuba Minteh followed up with two more goals, sealing an emphatic victory for Brighton.
Maresca acknowledged that the defeat came at a crucial moment in the season. Chelsea had the chance to move closer to third place in the league standings, but the performance fell short of expectations. The manager apologised to the fans who had travelled to support the team, recognising their frustration.
Chelsea’s lacklustre display was made worse by injuries to key attacking players. The absence of experienced forwards was evident, leaving the team struggling to break down Brighton’s defence. Maresca admitted that while injuries played a role, the squad needed to find solutions rather than excuses.
For the first 30 minutes, Chelsea appeared to be in control, but Mitoma’s goal changed the momentum. The team looked vulnerable in defence and lacked creativity in attack. Maresca pointed out that Chelsea’s inability to respond after conceding was a major concern.
The manager opted to start Christopher Nkunku as the central striker, with Cole Palmer playing behind him. However, the combination did not work as planned, with both players failing to pose a significant threat. Brighton’s defence remained largely untroubled throughout the match.
Maresca described this defeat as the lowest point since he arrived at Chelsea. Despite the setback, he remains focused on finishing the season strongly. With key fixtures ahead, Chelsea will need to regroup quickly and address their shortcomings.
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