Chelsea’s tough start to the season continued with a 3-1 defeat to Brighton at Stamford Bridge, as Trevoh Chalobah’s red card sparked a second-half meltdown. Enzo Maresca was furious with his defender, warning his players that “big mistakes” are costing the Blues dearly.
Chelsea’s Premier League struggles deepened on Saturday as Enzo Maresca’s side fell 3-1 to Brighton at Stamford Bridge, with Trevoh Chalobah’s red card proving the turning point in a game that left the Blues boss visibly frustrated.
The hosts began brightly, taking the lead through Enzo Fernandez, who headed in from Reece James’ deflected cross. But the afternoon unraveled early in the second half when Chalobah hauled down Diego Gomez as the Brighton midfielder raced through on goal. After a VAR check, referee Simon Hooper brandished a red card, leaving Chelsea with 10 men and plenty of problems.
Brighton capitalised almost immediately. Danny Welbeck netted twice, while Maxim de Cuyper added another as Fabian Hurzeler’s side secured a famous win in west London.
Maresca did not hold back in his assessment of Chalobah’s dismissal. “For sure, you can’t continue to make mistakes. They are game-changing mistakes,” the Chelsea head coach said. “After that, we tried to adjust with Josh [Acheampong], who has been ill for a week. Our two central defenders were Josh and Jorrel [Hato], who don’t have many games in the Premier League.”
The Italian also criticised his team for “giving away presents” to the opposition, stressing the need for discipline in high-pressure moments. “Against any team in the Premier League, you cannot continue to give away presents. These are big mistakes and the game completely changed.”
The defeat adds to Chelsea’s woes in a stop-start campaign. With just two wins from their opening six league matches, plus a Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, Maresca is already feeling the pressure. Things won’t get easier either: Chalobah’s suspension leaves Chelsea light in defence ahead of next weekend’s clash with Liverpool, meaning teenagers Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato could be tasked with starting together at the back.
Before then, Chelsea welcome Benfica to Stamford Bridge in midweek, a fixture that will see the emotional return of Jose Mourinho, who recently took charge of the Portuguese giants. Maresca will be desperate for his side to respond, but with confidence low and defensive problems mounting, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
