Chelsea record unwanted Premier League stat for first time since 2021 after suffering worst defeat this season
Chelsea were on the receiving end of a Valentine’s Day massacre following a 3-0 thrashing at Brighton – their second defeat at the Amex Stadium in six days. The Blues had revenge on their mind after losing 2-1 to the Seagulls in their FA Cup fourth round clash last weekend. Chelsea were smashed on the south coast as Brighton ran out easy 3-0 winnersGetty However it got worse for Enzo Maresca‘s side on Friday night with the west London outfit humiliated on the south coast. The 3-0 loss is their worst defeat in all competitions this season – and heaviest since their 5-0 thumping away at Arsenal in April 2024. Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh sent the hosts 2-0 up going into the break. And Minteh sealed the victory with his second of the match in the 63rd minute to send Brighton up to eighth in the table. But for Chelsea, it was another performance to forget as they failed to muster a single shot on target. That is the first time that has happened in the Premier League since September 2021 after losing 1-0 to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. It’s the fourth time this century that Chelsea have now failed to have a shot on target. The first came in September 2007 when Avram Grant’s side lost 2-0 to Manchester United in 2017. And ten years later, it was Antonio Conte’s turn to record the unwanted stat in another 2-0 defeat to the Red Devils. Incredibly, Chelsea had 70 per cent possession at Brighton, but created next to nothing as the visitors missed the chance to boost their Champions League qualification hopes. AFPMaresca’s side have now lost twice in a week at the Amex Stadium[/caption] GettyMinteh scored twice to send the Seagulls up to eighth in the Premier League table[/caption] Their only shot on target proved to be Enzo Fernandez’s first half header which nestled into the back of the net – though that was eventually ruled out. The Argentine midfielder was correctly adjudged to have pushed Joel Veltman in the back just before he got his head on Malo Gusto‘s cross. And in another blow for Chelsea, they lost winger Noni Madueke in the first half with what appeared to be a hamstring knock. Speaking to talkSPORT after the match, Maresca stated: “For sure, we are going to lose him for a while.” Chelsea are already in the midst of a mini-forward injury crisis with Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu injured, while Mykhailo Mudryk is currently suspended. And in an interview with Sky Sports, he failed to hide his disappointment at his squad. GettyFernandez was left in disbelief after his equaliser was ruled out for a foul[/caption] He remarked: “We are in a moment when we feel we can concede easily and struggle to score. “I think before the goal they didn’t have some chances. There are many things we can do better.” Before adding: “I feel sorry for the fans. It is not the right performance that we can offer, especially at this moment in the season. We need to stick together. “I feel pressure always. Tonight, the performance was the worst since I arrived so it is not the right moment. “But we are still in fourth and in the race to finish in Europe.” Victory for fourth-placed Chelsea at Brighton would have seen them close the gap on Nottingham Forest in third to one point. But they could fall to as a low as sixth come the end of the weekend if results go against them. Incredibly, Chelsea had the chance to go top on December 22 had they beat Everton at Goodison Park. However after two wins in their last nine top-flight matches, Chelsea now sit 14 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. And that gap could extend to 17 points should the Reds emerge victories over Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.
Chelsea were on the receiving end of a Valentine’s Day massacre following a 3-0 thrashing at Brighton – their second defeat at the Amex Stadium in six days.
The Blues had revenge on their mind after losing 2-1 to the Seagulls in their FA Cup fourth round clash last weekend.
However it got worse for Enzo Maresca‘s side on Friday night with the west London outfit humiliated on the south coast.
The 3-0 loss is their worst defeat in all competitions this season – and heaviest since their 5-0 thumping away at Arsenal in April 2024.
Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh sent the hosts 2-0 up going into the break.
And Minteh sealed the victory with his second of the match in the 63rd minute to send Brighton up to eighth in the table.
But for Chelsea, it was another performance to forget as they failed to muster a single shot on target.
That is the first time that has happened in the Premier League since September 2021 after losing 1-0 to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
It’s the fourth time this century that Chelsea have now failed to have a shot on target.
The first came in September 2007 when Avram Grant’s side lost 2-0 to Manchester United in 2017.
And ten years later, it was Antonio Conte’s turn to record the unwanted stat in another 2-0 defeat to the Red Devils.
Incredibly, Chelsea had 70 per cent possession at Brighton, but created next to nothing as the visitors missed the chance to boost their Champions League qualification hopes.
Their only shot on target proved to be Enzo Fernandez’s first half header which nestled into the back of the net – though that was eventually ruled out.
The Argentine midfielder was correctly adjudged to have pushed Joel Veltman in the back just before he got his head on Malo Gusto‘s cross.
And in another blow for Chelsea, they lost winger Noni Madueke in the first half with what appeared to be a hamstring knock.
Speaking to talkSPORT after the match, Maresca stated: “For sure, we are going to lose him for a while.”
Chelsea are already in the midst of a mini-forward injury crisis with Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu injured, while Mykhailo Mudryk is currently suspended.
And in an interview with Sky Sports, he failed to hide his disappointment at his squad.
He remarked: “We are in a moment when we feel we can concede easily and struggle to score.
“I think before the goal they didn’t have some chances. There are many things we can do better.”
Before adding: “I feel sorry for the fans. It is not the right performance that we can offer, especially at this moment in the season. We need to stick together.
“I feel pressure always. Tonight, the performance was the worst since I arrived so it is not the right moment.
“But we are still in fourth and in the race to finish in Europe.”
Victory for fourth-placed Chelsea at Brighton would have seen them close the gap on Nottingham Forest in third to one point.
But they could fall to as a low as sixth come the end of the weekend if results go against them.
Incredibly, Chelsea had the chance to go top on December 22 had they beat Everton at Goodison Park.
However after two wins in their last nine top-flight matches, Chelsea now sit 14 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
And that gap could extend to 17 points should the Reds emerge victories over Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.
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