Chelsea fans make feelings clear with their actions as side embarrassed by Brighton

BRIGHTON 3-0 CHELSEA: The away side didn’t manage a single shot on target and badly missed striker Nicolas Jackson as they were easily beaten by the south coast Seagulls, with Japan star Mitoma scoring a magnificent virtuoso goal

The man from the land of the rising sun gave Chelsea that sinking feeling with a moment of magic.

Japan star Kaoru Mitoma did his best impression of Dennis Bergkamp to give Brighton the lead with a spectacular goal of the season contender. And Yankuba Minteh then bagged a brace as Enzo Maresca’s problems mounted with Noni Madueke joining a growing injury list.

Maresca’s fourth-placed side could have opened up a five-point lead over Manchester City in fifth with a win. But his strikerless system backfired as they missed an opportunity to take revenge over their cup conquerors.

The Seagulls beat Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup at the Amex last weekend. And they needed it after getting walloped 7-0 against Nottingham Forest. But they looked a different team here and bossed most of the game, with Mitoma leading the way.

Chelsea made four changes from the cup game, but with Nicolas Jackson out until April, Christopher Nkunku started again. But Maresca sprung a surprise by deploying the shot shy forward on the right and going with Palmer as a false nine.

And it was Brighton who started strongest, with Danny Welbeck breaking through to force a good save from Filip Jorgensen.

Chelsea struggled to get used to their new formation, and Palmer started to look like a duck out of water. Nkunku and Madueke did combine to set him up for one great chance on the edge of the box but he sliced it, wastefully, well wide.

And Chelsea were then undone by one simple long ball forward from Bart Verbruggen to the outstanding Mitoma. He still had a lot to do but his first touch was exquisite and allowed him to get past Trevoh Chalobah to fire into the bottom corner.

Chelsea thought they had equalised when Gusto crossed for Enzo Fernandez to head home but referee Chris Kavanagh spotted a push on Joel Veltman. Instead, Brighton doubled their lead when the Blues failed to stop Georginio Rutter and his cross was eventually fired home by Minteh.

Gleefull Seagulls fans were singing: “Can we play you every week?” at that point while the away end looked on glumly. It was all the more remarkable because before this Brighton had gone five home league games without a win.

And it got even better for them when Minteh sprung the offside trap and scored his second, turning Marc Cucurella inside out before sneaking it in at the near post. But for some wasteful finishing from Mitoma and Joao Pedro it would have turned into a St Valentine’s Day massacre for Chelsea.

But plenty of travelling fans had voted with their feet by then with the away end emptying rapidly well before it was over.

Jamie Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports, said: “Chelsea have been badly beaten and it could have been a lot worse.

“I am just watching these Chelsea players going across to their supporters and there are not many of them there and they are not happy.”

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