Another red card and another Chelsea defeat

‘Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice, shame on me’. The old saying could perfectly sums up Chelsea’s performance in the last two Premier League games. When you spend as much money as the Blues did, you must be fighting for the top four place (at least) but Enzo Maresca is struggling with the basics – how to have all 11 men on the pitch during a game. Due to deconcetration and bad decisions by his players, the Blues surrendered all six points in the last two games. Robert Sanchez got the red card against Manchester United last week and Chelsea lost 2-1 and today the same thing happened. The only difference was the opponent (Brighton at home), the man who ruined everything (this time it was Trevoh Chalobah) and the score: Chelsea – Brighton 1-3.

Chelsea had the game, had the score and looked like a team which could finally win against Brighton (the guests won three of their last six games against the Blues), but Chalobah’s clumsy reaction changed everything. From that 50th minute, Albion scored three goals and took all three points from the top-four contender. VAR finally made the right call (when they checked the Chalobah tackle) but embarrassed themselves in the 87th minute when Malo Gusto kicked Minteh in the head in the penalty area but they went silent. Still, justice prevailed as Brighton scored two late goal to claim victory at Stamford Bridge.

It’s quite a miracle that Chelsea scored the first goal after only 24 minutes. The Blues were all over Brighton from the very start and had three nice opportunities in the first 15 minutes but it was either keeper Verbruggen or Van Hecke who perfect timings which prevented the opening goal. But in the 24th minute there was no help. Moises Caicedo played a wonderful ball, on the ground, through to Reece James, who smashes it into the penalty area, where it's met by the head of Enzo Fernandez. Only then Brighton woke up but their only effort came in at the end of the first half, when Dunk’s header went over the bar after a Ayari free kick.

But the second half turned out to be a completely different ball game. In the 50th minute, after a quick counter attack Brighton’s Gomez was just about to get in on a goal and get a shot away when Chalobah came across and made contact. The referee initially didn’t even allowed a free kick, but after VAR intervention it was clear that Chelsea’s defender made a foul as the last man and he got the red card. It changed everything and the 10 men disadvantage finally took it’s tool in the 77th minute when former Arsenal man Danny Welbeck equalized. The crippled Chelsea couldn’t do anything really, apart from trying as much as they could to keep the score 1-1 and not lose all three points, even with Malo Gusto’s foul in the penalty area. But they failed big time and allowed two more late goals for the final 1-3.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 6

Saturday

Brentford - Man. United 3-1 (2-1)

/Thiago 8, 20, Jensen 90+5 - Sesko 26/

Chelsea - Brighton 1-3 (1-0)

/Fernandez 24 - Welbeck 77, 90+10 De Cuyper 90+2/

Crystal Palace - Liverpool 2-1 (1-0)

/Sarr 9, Nketiah 90+7 - Chiesa 87/

Leeds - Bournemouth 2-2 (1-1)

/Rodon 37, Longstaff 54 - Semenyo 26, Kroupi 90+3/

Man. City - Burnley 5-1 (1-1)

/Esteve 12 (og), 65 (og), Nunes 61, Haaland 90, 90+3 - Anthony 38/

19.30: (1.80) Nott.Forest (3.60) Sunderland (5.10)

22.00: (1.48) Tottenham (4.30) Wolverhampton (7.00)

Sunday

16.00: (2.35) Aston Villa (3.35) Fulham (3.30)

18.30: (3.60) Newcastle (3.45) Arsenal (2.20)

Monday

22.00: (1.80) Everton (3.60) West Ham (5.10)

***odds are subject to change***