Chelsea suffered a fifth defeat in a row in the Premier League without scoring a goal as brilliant Brighton went above them into sixth in the table with a fully deserved 3-0 win that piled the pressure on Liam Rosenior.
The hosts were dominant from the very start and led from the third minute when Ferdi Kadioglu thrashed following a corner, with Jack Hinshelwood, who had earlier missed an open goal, doubling their lead on the counter-attack after half-time. Danny Welbeck came off the bench to add a third in stoppage time.
But Chelsea, who were without the injured Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, were woeful. Rosenior tweaked his system but abandoned his back-three after a one-sided first half. Chelsea have lost five league games in a row without scoring for the first time in 114 years.
The defeat all but spells the end of Chelsea’s top-five hopes, while they could drop into the bottom half of the table by their next Premier League game. Rosenior now faces a crunch FA Cup semi-final against in-form rivals Leeds at Wembley on Sunday.
"Chelsea have been pumped tonight, they were pathetic and are going backwards,” former striker Chris Sutton said on Sky Sports. “The Chelsea players chucked it, they really did and their players have a of of thinking to and where do they go next?”
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Brighton v Chelsea | Premier League LIVE
- Brighton thrash woeful Chelsea to go above them into sixth in Premier League
- Pressure mounting on Liam Rosenior after five defeats in a row without scoring
- 90+1 GOAL! Welbeck makes it 3-0 in stoppage time [BRI 3-0 CHE]
- 56' GOAL! Hinshelwood doubles Brighton's lead on the counter-attack [BRI 2-0 CHE]
- 19' OFF THE LINE! Sanchez howler spared by glaring Brighton miss [BRI 1-0 CHE]
- 4' GOAL! Kadioglu thrashes Brighton into lead as Chelsea make horror start [BRI 1-0 CHE]
- Former Blues striker Chris Sutton: 'Chelsea were pathetic and are going backwards'
Has Liam Rosenior turned on his players?
23:00 , Jamie BraidwoodIn his interview with Match of the Day Sports, Liam Rosenior also accused his Chelsea players of lacking “desire, spirit and courage”.
"It is accountability. I have defended the players at times when it was the correct thing but I can't defend that performance. It doesn't represent this football club, it doesn't represent anything I ask from the group and that has to change.
"I feel numb I'm so angry. I always speak on what I see and that was unacceptable. The goals we conceded were unacceptable and that is something I have to hold my hands up to.
"I will look at the team, will look at individuals and I will look at a team I can trust to do the basics of football and we should not be talking about the basics of football at this level. It is something we have to adjust very quickly.
"Tonight was not [about] tactical. This was about desire, spirit, courage and I did not see enough of that tonight. Nowhere near good enough and we have to improve that."
Liam Rosenior comes out strong after 'unacceptable, indefensible' Chelsea defeat
22:32 , Jamie BraidwoodLiam Rosenior said he is “numb” after the manner of Chelsea’s defeat. He called it “unacceptable”, “indefensible”, and said “something has to change”.
He told Sky Sports: “It was unacceptable in every aspect of the game. I keep coming out and defending the players, that was indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the duels that we lost. Something has to change drastically right here, right now.
“We need to look in the mirror. I need to look in the mirror. But I can't keep coming out here and defending some of the things that we're seeing. Manchester United, genuinely result wasn't there but I felt we turned a corner.
“But the general attitude, spirit was lacking - determination from three or four of the starting eleven. That's nowhere near enough for this club. I can't come out and lie. I tell the truth. That was an unacceptable performance at every level."
Chelsea fail to land a punch
22:30 , Jamie BraidwoodChelsea have failed to score a Premier League goal in almost eight hours.
They didn’t even manage to have a shot on target tonight.
Brighton had nine. They dominated every department.
Where do Chelsea go next?
22:11 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s a FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United on Sunday at Wembley. Leeds have won back-to-back games and will be full of confidence. Chelsea had no fight, no spirit, no ideas tonight. Leeds will be up for it, that’s for sure.
Does Rosenior even get to Sunday?
Chelsea's 114-year low: Five defeats in a row without scoring
22:04 , Jamie BraidwoodL: Brighton (a) - 0-3
L: Man Utd (h) - 0-1
L: Man City (h) - 0-3
L: Everton (a) - 0-3
L: Newcastle (h) - 0-1
FULL TIME! Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
22:01 , Jamie BraidwoodFormer Chelsea striker Chris Sutton, on Sky Sports: "Chelsea have been pumped tonight, they were pathetic and are going backwards. The Chelsea players chucked it, they really did and their players have a of of thinking to and where do they go next?”
FULL TIME! Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:56 , Jamie BraidwoodThe Chelsea players are standing like statues in front of the few away fans who have stayed at the Amex. They look stunned. The away fans who have remained are telling them just how they feel.
Chelsea have lost five top-flight games in a row without scoring for the first time since 1912.
114 years!
FULL TIME! Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:54 , Jamie BraidwoodBrighton go above Chelsea into the sixth. They were excellent.
Where to even begin with Chelsea...
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea
21:53 , Jamie Braidwood90+3 mins: “Can we play you every week” sing the home fans.
Brighton are about to do the double over Chelsea.
GOAL! Brighton 3-0 Chelsea (WELBECK 90+1)
21:50 , Jamie BraidwoodDanny Welbeck comes off the bench to make it 3-0! A cherry on the cake for Brighton, on what has been a brilliant night for them.
It gets worse for Chelsea. That was such a simple goal.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:45 , Jamie Braidwood86 mins: I’ve lost count of the amount of time Chelsea have passed the ball straight out of play. This has been one of the poorest performances from a Premier League team that I can remember.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:43 , Jamie Braidwood84 mins: Welbeck and Ayari are on for Brighton and Ayari gets a chance at the back post, but takes a heavy touch.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:39 , Jamie Braidwood80 mins: Guiu’s shot is deflected wide by Van Hecke. Many Chelsea fans have already seen enough and are heading back to London.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:35 , Jamie Braidwood76 mins: A chance for Chelsea to end the goal drought... no! Garnacho cuts in but shoots just wide. We approach an eighth hour without a Premier League goal.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:31 , Jamie Braidwood72 mins: Liam Delap heads off after another ineffecitve performance. He looks shot of confidence. Guiu and Essugo are on and Lavia is also off.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:28 , Jamie Braidwood70 mins: Good block from Veltman to deny Garnacho, after Gusto had pulled the cross into the box.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:24 , Jamie Braidwood65 mins: SAVE! Sanchez keeps out what would have been a second from Kadioglu. Brighton smell blood, as the home fans sing Liam Rosenior’s name.
Brighton 2-0 Chelsea
21:21 , Jamie Braidwood61 mins: Mitoma juggles in the box and is very close to another outstanding goal, but it drops wide.
GOAL! Brighton 2-0 Chelsea (HINSHELWOOD 56')
21:14 , Jamie BraidwoodTHAT SHOULD BE IT! BRIGHTON DOUBLE THEIR LEAD!
Brilliant break, but Chelsea want a penalty at the other end! Nope, even if it was a handball, it was outside of the box.
Brighton countered well, with Rutter feeding Hinshelwood. He kept his cool, sending Sanchez the wrong way.
It’s what Brighton deserve.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
21:13 , Jamie Braidwood54 mins: Half a chance for Mitoma but he drags wide from inside the box. Brighton then want a penalty, with Cucurella leaning into Minteh’s cross. Looks more shoulder, though.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
21:11 , Jamie Braidwood52 mins: There are signs of life with Chelsea with Garnacho on the pitch. Fernandez almost managed to punch a through pass into the winger, who would have been through.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
21:07 , Jamie Braidwood48 mins: The Sanchez ‘kicking the ball straight out of play’ count goes up by one. That’s at least four.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
21:05 , Jamie Braidwood47 mins: Garnacho is involved straight away. The winger comes in off the touchline but can’t work the shot. He sets up Lavia, but he shoots over the bar.
HALF TIME! Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
21:02 , Jamie BraidwoodA change is coming for Chelsea. Garnacho for Fofana, and a change back to their usual system.
Second half is coming up.
HALF TIME! Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:55 , Jamie BraidwoodChelsea’s effort on goal shot came after 40 minutes and they did not manage a single shot on target.
“It was embarrassingly woeful,” says the former Brighton and Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell on Sky Sports.
HALF TIME! Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:47 , Jamie BraidwoodBrighton have been totally dominant and should be out of sight. But the hosts, who are going above Chelsea into sixth as things stands, have been unable to add to Kadioglu’s opener inside four minutes.
For Chelsea, the good news it’s only 1-0. That’s it, that’s the good news. They have been so, so bad. Dismal. Woeful.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:44 , Jamie Braidwood42 mins: Sanchez boots the ball straight out of play for maybe the fourth time tonight. The goalkeeper has been a disaster with the ball at his feet.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:42 , Jamie Braidwood40 mins: Neto wins a corner and from it, Chelsea get their first shot of the match. Chalobah’s effort is blocked, though. Neto jogs over to take a throw-in but looks fuming at his team-mates.
“We want our club back,” chant the away fans, not for the first time tonight.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:38 , Jamie Braidwood38 mins: Chelsea have now gone seven hours in the Premier League without scoring a goal.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:37 , Jamie Braidwood36 mins: More cheers from the Brighton fans as Sanchez kicks the ball out of play looking for Neto. Nothing, nothing has gone right for Chelsea so far.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:34 , Jamie Braidwood32 mins: Chelsea are struggling to string any passes together. Despite their absences, Chelsea still have Caicedo, Fernandez and Lavia in midfield but they are being dominated by Brighton’s press. The set-up is just not right and it would not be a surprise to see Rosenior rip up his gameplan at half-time, or earlier.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:29 , Jamie Braidwood28 mins: It’s getting heated between former team-mates Gross and Caicedo, with the referee breaking the former Brighton colleagues up. Fernandez is then caught from behind and is left in a heap rubbing the back of his foot.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:26 , Jamie Braidwood25 mins: Delap carries forwards and Han Hecke concedes the corner. Brighton are able to clear consecutive deliveries by Neto and Chelsea are forced back to Sanchez, who boots the ball straight back to Brighton.
Chelsea just went from Caicedo, to Cucurella, to Sanchez, triggering a chain of boos.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:24 , Jamie Braidwood23 mins: Another decent moment for Brighton as Minteh comes inside and curls towards goal. Fofana is forced to hack behind.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:20 , Jamie Braidwood19 mins: CHANCE! It should be 2-0! What is Sanchez doing?! He passes straight to a Baleba and he squares to Hinshelwood, but he can’t finish! It’s off the line by Chalobah!
Chelsea are still alive but Brighton could have been out of sight.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:17 , Jamie Braidwood16 mins: CHANCE! Delap loses the ball far too easily and Brighton can counter-attack. It ends up with Rutter firing over from inside the box. The traveling Chelsea fans cannot believe what they are seeing.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:15 , Jamie Braidwood14 mins: SAVE! Sanchez has to tip over from Van Hecke! Chelsea are all over the place in defence and midfield - Brighton sliced right through them with ease. Sanchez has kept them in it.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:14 , Jamie Braidwood13 mins: Whistles as Chalobah passes the ball straight out of play. Rosenior shouts some encouragement but Brighton are finding this very easy early on.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:12 , Jamie Braidwood11 mins: Brighton are pinging the ball around quite comfortably, with the home fans even starting to cheer the odd pass around the back. Delap is frustrated by the offside flag and there are some boos for the returning Cucurella.
Brighton 1-0 Chelsea
20:09 , Jamie Braidwood7 mins: Brighton have made a very sharp start and have carried their excellent form into this meeting with Chelsea, who are in serious danger of losing five in a row now. Palmer and Pedro are looking very glum sitting high up in the stands.
GOAL! Brighton 1-0 Chelsea (KADIOGLU 4')
20:04 , Jamie BraidwoodBRIGHTON STRIKE FROM THE CORNER AND CHELSEA ARE BEHIND INSIDE THREE MINUTES!
The corner from the left is not cleared by Chelsea and the front-post flick-on falls to Kadioglu, who thrashes in!
Fofana tries to clear off the line but could not block the shot as it beat Sanchez. As it stands, Brighton are going above Chelsea.
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:04 , Jamie Braidwood3 mins: SAVE! Almost a copy of Mitoma’s fabulous goal against Spurs on Saturday. Gross swings the ball towards the back post and picks out Mitoma, who was all on his own. The winger’s shot is down and into the ground but Sanchez saves!
Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:02 , Jamie Braidwood1 mins: Even without Pedro, Chelsea have three former Brighton players in Sanchez, Cucurella and Sanchez. Rosenior is playing a back-three/five in the Premier League for the first time.
KICK-OFF! Brighton 0-0 Chelsea
20:00 , Jamie BraidwoodNo Palmer, no Pedro... no goals and no points in Chelsea’s last four. Can they end that run against an in-form Brighton side? We’re underway.
Reminder of team news and how to watch Brighton v Chelsea
19:55 , Jamie BraidwoodBrighton XI: Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Baleba, Hinshelwood, Gross; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma
Subs: Steele, Igor, Dunk, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Ayari, de Cuyper, O'Riley, Veltman
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Gusto, Caicedo, Lavia, Enzo, Hato; Neto, Delap
Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Tosin, Sarr, Essugo, Andrey Santos, Garnacho, Derry, Guiu
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League
No Alejandro Garnacho in Chelsea attack despite absences
19:50 , Jamie BraidwoodAlejandro Garnacho is on the bench for Chelsea despite the visitors missing Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro. In fact, it looks as if Liam Rosenior has gone with a back-five, with Pedro Neto and Liam Delap leading the line.
Enzo Fernandez captains Chelsea tonight
19:40 , Jamie BraidwoodJust a couple of weeks after he was dropped by Liam Rosenior following comments the player made over this Chelsea future, Enzo Fernandez captains the Blues against Brighton tonight.
Fernandez missed the games against Port Vale and Manchester City after the international break but returned for the 1-0 defeat against Manchester United at the weekend. Moises Caicedo took the armband, but Fernandez has it back tonight.
How sixth in the Premier League could result in Champions League
19:30 , Jamie BraidwoodIf Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth the additional place in the Champions League awarded by the EPS will drop down to the team that finishes sixth in the Premier League.
This is of interest to several Premier League teams, with the race for sixth extremely competitive this season. There are just three points separating sixth-placed Chelsea to Fulham, in 12th.
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Premier League has clinched fifth Champions League spot - but could get another
Liam Rosenior challenges Chelsea to 'stand up and fight for the shirt'
19:15 , Jamie BraidwoodChelsea are on their worst run of form since 1998 having lost four Premier League games in a row and failing to score a single goal. Liam Rosenior did not hold back in explaining the response he wants to see from his players after they were booed off following a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.
“It's about character now - it's about standing up,” he said. “It's about people who are willing, in difficult moments, to stand up for the shirt and fight. That's what I'm looking for. But I believe in them, and I believe that we can come through this period so much stronger, but we have to get this part right now.”
Fabian Hurzeler 'impressed' by Brighton's resilience this season
19:07 , Jamie BraidwoodBrighton were 13 points behind Chelsea a few weeks ago but they come into tonight’s match having closed that gap to just one point.
Fabian Hurzeler admits his team went through a “tough period” but things are now looking up for the Seagulls as they target a European place.
“I am really happy for the players, happy for the staff because they do great work in the shadows,” he said.
“I think it's togetherness that we showed and now we are in a position where we should really embrace what we all worked hard for.
“Now it's about enjoying these moments, enjoying these kind of games because I think it's a great opportunity for us to grow.”
Liam Rosenior confirms Cole Palmer misses out with hamstring injury
18:54 , Jamie BraidwoodLiam Rosenior confirms to Sky Sports that Cole Palmer misses out with a hamstring injury and has been rested ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds.
“Cole's had some tightness in his hamstring so he's going to be out for this game and see how he moves on for this FA Cup semi-final,” Rosenior said. “Joao Pedro will be good for Sunday. But this game is too close for him.”
Chelsea team news: Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro miss out
18:52 , Jamie BraidwoodThere’s no Cole Palmer in the Chelsea squad while Joao Pedro is absent for the second game in a row. Liam Delap again leads the line.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Gusto, Caicedo, Lavia, Enzo, Hato; Neto, Delap
Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Tosin, Sarr, Essugo, Andrey Santos, Garnacho, Derry, Guiu
Brighton team news: Karou Mitoma starts for hosts
18:49 , Jamie BraidwoodBrighton make three changes from the 2-2 draw at Tottenham. Diego Gomez misses out due to a knock, but Danny Welbeck and Yasin Ayari make way. In come two of their goalscorers from Saturday, in Karou Mitoma and Georgino Rutter. Carols Baleba also returns.
Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu; Baleba, Hinshelwood, Gross; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma
Subs: Steele, Igor, Dunk, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Ayari, de Cuyper, O'Riley, Veltman
Chelsea owners '100 per cent' behind under-pressure Liam Rosenior
18:40 , Jamie Braidwood“They have been supportive of me in our daily conversations, they have been magnificent in their support of me and the team.
“We’re aligned that we know we need to win games of football in the now, but that doesn’t go against what we’re trying to do, which is give consistent success to this club long-term."
The race for European football is very much on
18:30 , Jamie BraidwoodWith only three points separating Chelsea, in sixth, to Fulham, in 12th, the Blues face the prospect of missing out of Europe all together.
Brighton can go above Chelsea tonight with a win and they will know, along with Brentford, Bournemouth, Everton, Sunderland and Fulham, that anything is possible given how close the race is.
Is the race for the top-five already over?
18:15 , Jamie BraidwoodChelsea were dealt more than one hammer blow in their pursuit of Champions League qualification over the weekend.
First, the Blues lost 1-0 to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, a result that continued their alarming slide.
Then, both Aston Villa and Liverpool won late on to increase the gap to sixth-place Chelsea.
The Blues come into tonight’s trip to in-form Brighton 10 points behind Villa, seven behind Liverpool.
With just five games left, tonight is surely a must-win for their top-five hopes.
Predicted line-ups
18:00 , Flo CliffordBrighton XI: Verbruggen; Wieffer, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Gross, Ayari; Minteh, Rutter, De Cuyper; Welbeck.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Pedro, Neto; Delap.
Team news
17:51 , Flo CliffordDiego Gomez is likely to miss out for Brighton after suffering an apparent knee injury against Tottenham. Kaoru Mitoma came on for him and scored, but also appeared to sustain a knock and is thus doubtful. Lewis Dunk returns from suspension.
Chelsea's top scorer Joao Pedro faces a late fitness test ahead of a potential return to his former club having missed the Manchester United defeat with a thigh issue. Enzo Fernandez is fit to feature following an injury scare but Estevao is definitely out, due to a hamstring problem sustained at the weekend.
How can I watch it?
17:45 , Flo CliffordViewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage on the channels from 7.30pm BST. A live stream will be available via Sky Go or NOW.
When is Brighton vs Chelsea?
17:41 , Flo CliffordBrighton vs Chelsea is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 21 April at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton v Chelsea
17:35 , Flo CliffordBrighton are eyeing a spot in the top six as they look to climb above Chelsea with the pair meeting at the Amex Stadium.
A productive recent run under Fabian Hurzeler continued as Brighton snatched a late point at Tottenham, and another high Premier League finish is within reach for the side.
Chelsea, by contrast, are flailing having seemed certain to push for the top five, with a 1-0 loss to Manchester United their fourth consecutive defeat in the league.
It has heightened the pressure on Liam Rosenior as he returns to the club where he finished his playing career.
Good afternoon
17:30 , Flo CliffordHello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Brighton v Chelsea in the Premier League.
The two sides are separated by only one point but the momentum is firmly with tonight’s hosts, with the Blues floundering on a run of four straight league defeats. Can they arrest that slide tonight? We’ll find out...
