The leave is a major reverse for Chelsea, who were below their best and now sit eight points behind leaders Manchester City having alone won one of their last four Premier League games.
Reading: Chelsea 1-1 Brighton: Danny Welbeck’s stoppage-time leveller dents Blues’ Premier League title hopes
It appeared they had weathered the storm after N’Golo Kante ‘s insertion from the bench midway through the second half helped to tilt the momentum in their favor following a drawn-out period of Brighton dominance during which they created a series of chances. But Thomas Tuchel ‘s side, who besides lost Reece James and Andreas Christensen to hamstring and back injuries respectively, missed respective opportunities to extend their lead in the closure stages before Welbeck ‘s towering header prompted wild Brighton celebrations, handing a major boost to Manchester City and placing add emphasis on Chelsea ‘s clash with Liverpool, live on Sky Sports on Sunday.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Mendy ( 7 ), James ( 6 ), Rudiger ( 7 ), Christensen ( 6 ), Azpilicueta ( 6 ), Jorginho ( 6 ), Kovacic ( 6 ), Mount ( 7 ), Pulisic ( 6 ), Hudson-Odoi ( 5 ), Lukaku ( 7 ).
Subs: Chalobah ( 6 ), Alonso ( 6 ), Kante ( 7 ).
Brighton: Sanchez ( 6 ), Lamptey ( 8 ), Veltman ( 8 ), Burn ( 7 ), Cucurella ( 8 ), Bissouma ( 8 ), Lallana ( 7 ), Moder ( 7 ), Mac Allister ( 7 ), March ( 7 ), Maupay ( 7 ).
Subs: Welbeck ( 7 ), Mwepu ( 6 ), Alzate ( 6 ).
Man of the match: Yves Bissouma
How Brighton stunned Chelsea
Chelsea were boosted by Lukaku ‘s reelect to the starting line-up for the first time in the Premier League since October but, with Marcos Alonso benched and Ben Chilwell out for the season, there was besides the more unfamiliar view of James lining up at leave wing-back, with christian Pulisic occupy in on the right .
The 22-year-old endured some uncomfortable moments up against his former Chelsea team-mate Tariq Lamptey, who had an early penalty solicitation turned depressed, then cut inside James and fired a left-footed shot a few yards broad .
Team news
- Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel made four changes from the 3-1 win over Aston Villa, with Romelu Lukaku coming into the starting line-up along with Mateo Kovacic, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta.
- Leandro Trossard missed out for Brighton as Graham Potter brought Solly March, Joel Veltman and Yves Bissouma back into his team.
Those moments served as early warnings for Chelsea, but the first big opportunity fell their way when Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez flapped at a recess and Cesar Azpilicueta steered the loose ball onto the post via a deflection .
trope :
Romelu Lukaku headed Chelsea in presence
Antonio Rudiger headed straight at Sanchez moments late and Cucurella dragged a injection wide at the early end, but the game ‘s adjacent major incident was James ‘s withdrawal, the wing-back immediately signalling to the bench and want to be helped off the slope following a challenge by Lamptey. It was a considerable blow for Chelsea, specially given Chilwell ‘s long-run absence, but their frustration made way for elation moments later when Lukaku outmuscled Neal Maupay and headed Mason Mount ‘s corner beyond Sanchez to put them in movement. Maupay required discussion having been caught in the font as he jostled with the Chelsea striker and could be seen protesting to the fourth official as Brighton ultimately got the game back under way, but by that point, the VAR check mark had ruled in Chelsea ‘s favor.
Brighton, angry that the goal had been allowed to stand, responded powerfully and soon began to dominate, unleashing a confuse of shots on the Chelsea goal which included Adam Lallana forcing a fine keep open from Edouard Mendy and Lamptey looping an attempt just over. The visitors were angered again when Antonio Rudiger flew into a tackle on Lamptey, winning the ball but with both feet off the ground. He was shown a yellow card but the visit players felt it should have been red. Brighton, though, picked up where they left off after the break, with Alexis Mac Allister, Jakub Moder and the excellent Yves Bissouma all going airless before they created their best find, which saw Maupay ‘s goalbound feat heroically blocked by Rudiger with Mendy out of position. Chelsea continued to look rattled but Kante ‘s initiation, three days after he was feared to have suffered an injury reverse in the 3-1 winnings over Aston Villa, helped them contain the hosts .
image :
Mason Mount challenges Yves Bissmouma
For a period, the momentum was back with Chelsea. Rudiger ‘s header across finish was hacked away by Joel Veltman before it could reach the unmarked Lukaku and a last-ditch undertake from Cucurella then denied Mount a one-on-one opportunity. Lukaku then had an even better luck when Kovacic found him in the Brighton box but he opted to cut the ball onto his left animal foot rather of shooting with his right and Veltman, excellent in the visitors ‘ back three, managed to make another important stuff. Chelsea had a punishment entreaty turned down after christian Pulisic went to ground on the left english of the box, but Brighton continued to threaten, and their perseverance paid off when Cucurella ‘s teasing cross was brilliantly directed into the net by Welbeck and Mendy was finally beaten. The pull sends Chelsea above Liverpool into second position, but the col to Manchester City looks ominously big for a side increasingly depleted by injuries and Covid-enforced absences.
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Analysis: Where have the real Chelsea gone?
Sky Sports ‘ Lewis Jones writes : Chelsea were three points clear of Liverpool and four points ahead of Manchester City after 12 Premier League games at the end of November. They now trail leaders City by eight points and are just one ahead of Liverpool with a game in hand. The west Londoners have gone from 15/8 shots with Sky Bet for the deed all the way out to 16/1. And there wo n’t be many takers at that price considering Manchester City ‘s form, and Chelsea ‘s for that matter. Despite only losing their lead in blockage meter five Brighton, they were moment best for big parts, who pressed efficiently, passed intelligently and looked more convinced than their supposed style challenging rivals. such is the persistent yard at the top of the Premier League, you plainly ca n’t afford to go through a while of winning fair four out of 10 games like Chelsea have. In the flash of an eye, the title has slipped out of their grip. Sustaining attacks and creating choice chances is becoming a real trouble for Thomas Tuchel, who cut a torment trope in his media duties after dropping so far more points. Their miss of sustained, quality attacks can be showcased through an expect goals figure of precisely 0.67 in the 1-1 draw. Romelu Lukaku ‘s goal came from a set-piece, as did most of Chelsea ‘s chances. Remember this is a team that against Arsenal on the second week of the season created 18 chances from open shimmer in one regular. such is their current malaise, they have created a total of 18 chances from capable play in their last three fixtures combined against Brighton, Aston Villa and Wolves. It was the like narrative in the 3-2 gain over Leeds where two Jorginho penalties got them out of jail and papered over the cracks of their miss of cutting edge in the concluding third. This is now more than good a blip for Tuchel and Chelsea. They have questions to answer .
What the managers said…
Chelsea knob Thomas Tuchel : “ We knew before that this was going to be a tough match against a strong slope. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible television player
A defeated Thomas Tuchel says Chelsea would be ‘stupid ‘ to believe they can compete for the Premier League title due to Covid-enforced absences and injuries
“ They come well train. It ‘s constantly like this. I have not seen one team play a nice match against them, so it was gain we would struggle. “ We merely have way besides many players of whom we do n’t know what we can demand. They come from long injuries, they come from Covid. I simply do n’t know what they are capable of doing. “ We started very, very good, until the injury for Reece James, which was a huge coke. then we lose Andreas Christensen, who was until then again one of the top players on the pitch. At some point, it ‘s besides a lot. ” Brighton ‘s Graham Potter : “ I thought it was a fantastic performance from the players. It was wax of courage and fully of timbre against a crown side. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video recording player
Graham Potter said Brighton ‘s performance in the 1-1 hook at Chelsea was fully of courage and quality as he besides praised goalscorer Danny Welbeck
“ To come here and be ourselves is a boastfully challenge and I thought we were and that is a credit to the players. They were fantastic tonight. “ We performed well against Liverpool twice away, we have won and drawn there and that is not easily to do. But tonight was up there that is for surely. “ We have celebrated a degree but I think it is more the performance and the courage that was shown as a group. I hope it is something we can take forward. ”
Man of the match: Yves Bissouma
The Frenchman showed why he is admired by some of the Premier League ‘s top sides with a commanding performance.
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Bissouma dominated the midfield for long periods, making seven tackles – more than twice vitamin a many as any of his Brighton team-mates – and besides a act of crucial interceptions and clearances. He shone offensively excessively, doubly testing Edouard Mendy and creating a far two scoring chances for team-mates. It was a complete performance and one which proved invaluable in helping Brighton title a deserved point .
Opta stats – Chelsea drop points again
- Brighton have only lost one of their nine away Premier League games this season (W2 D6); no team have lost fewer on the road in 2021-22.
- Only Chelsea (5) have scored more 90th-minute goals than Brighton in the Premier League this season, with all four of Brighton’s such goals changing the result of the match (W1 D3).
- Chelsea have dropped 11 points from leading positions in the Premier League this season – more than they did in the whole of last season (10).
- Danny Welbeck scored his second Premier League goal against Chelsea, 11 years and 45 days since netting on his first appearance against them in the competition in November 2010. Only Peter Crouch (11 years, 210 days) has had a longer gap between Premier League goals against the Blues.
- Chelsea’s Mason Mount has been directly involved in 12 goals in the Premier League this season; only Mohamed Salah (24) and Emmanuel Dennis (13) have had a hand in more.
Chelsea host entitle rivals Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15pm on Sunday, January 2 ; kick-off 4.30pm. Brighton, meanwhile, travel to Everton on the like day, with kick-off at 2pm.