Chelsea suffered a disappointing exit from the FA Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round at the Amex Stadium.
The Blues initially took the lead in the game, courtesy of a bizarre own goal by Brighton’s goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, which was forced by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.
However, their advantage was short-lived, as Brighton equalized just eight minutes later.
In the second half, Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma struck for the home side, giving them a crucial lead.
From that moment on, Chelsea struggled to find a way back into the match, with their attacking play lacking sharpness and creativity.
Manager Enzo Maresca was visibly disappointed with his team’s lack of attacking threat, especially given that both Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu were unavailable due to injury.
With limited options up front, Chelsea failed to pose a significant danger to Brighton’s defense.
Chelsea Player Ratings Against Brighton
Robert Sanchez – 6/10
The Spanish goalkeeper had little chance to prevent either of Brighton’s goals but once again looked unconvincing when playing out from the back.
Many Chelsea supporters continue to believe that Filip Jorgensen should be the club’s first-choice goalkeeper moving forward.
Malo Gusto – 4/10
Had a tough night dealing with Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma and Tariq Lamptey.
The absence of Reece James was clearly felt, as Chelsea lacked defensive stability on the right flank.
Tosin Adarabioyo – 6/10
Defended well in the first half but struggled with Brighton’s pressing in the second period.
His positioning for Brighton’s second goal was questionable.
Trevoh Chalobah – 6/10
Performed well in terms of passing accuracy and had a relatively composed display at the back.
His solid performance suggests he could be a key figure for Chelsea in the remainder of the season.
Marc Cucurella – 6/10
The former Brighton defender was met with a hostile reception from the home crowd.
Nevertheless, he defended well against Yankuba Minteh and was one of Chelsea’s more reliable performers on the night.
Moises Caicedo – 7/10
Despite Brighton’s intense pressing, Caicedo remained composed and handled the pressure well.
His precise pass over the top for Christopher Nkunku should have resulted in an assist.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 6/10
Occupied good positions as Palmer dropped deeper, but it remains uncertain whether he did enough to convince Maresca that he deserves more regular starts.
Pedro Neto – 6/10
Looked lively on the right wing and showed early promise with his pace, creating a good chance.
His substitution was surprising, considering he was one of Chelsea’s most dangerous attacking outlets.
Cole Palmer – 6/10
Was involved in Chelsea’s only goal of the game but struggled to impose himself in attack.
His positioning often overlapped with Nkunku, leading to a lack of attacking fluidity.
Jadon Sancho – 5/10
Had little impact from the left wing, failing to provide any real attacking threat.
His form remains a concern, and he has yet to make a significant impression under Maresca.
Christopher Nkunku – 5/10
Tasked with leading Chelsea’s attack, the Frenchman failed to justify his selection in the role.
He squandered a key opportunity in the first half when he opted to pass rather than take a shot with his left foot.
Substitutes
Enzo Fernandez – 6/10
Brought on after Brighton’s second goal and injected some urgency into Chelsea’s play.
However, he missed a decent scoring opportunity when his shot flew off target.
Tyrique George – 5/10
Had little impact after coming on, with his most notable moment being a shot that sailed over the crossbar.
Noni Madueke – 5/10
Came on for Neto but failed to trouble Lamptey, making Brighton’s defensive job easier.
His performance did little to suggest he should start ahead of Neto in future matches.
Chelsea’s elimination from the FA Cup adds further disappointment to their season, and Maresca will now be looking for solutions to improve his side’s attacking effectiveness going forward.
