Chelsea lost their first game under Graham Potter as the manager encountered a nightmare return to Brighton, losing 4-1.
Brighton pressed Chelsea from the off and went one up inside the first five minutes. Thiago Silva’s poor pass was intercepted by Leandro Trossard which landed into Kaoru Mitoma who drove into the area finding Trossard who went round the keeper and slotted into the net.
Brighton’s second came nine minutes later as Chelsea continued to make errors at the back. Solly March delivered a fine cross from the corner which bounced off Ruben Loftus-Cheek into his own net.
It was another own goal for Brighton’s third too. Moises Caicedo expertly found Pervis Estupinan down the left of the area, with the latter’s cross into the six-yard box turned home by Trevoh Chalobah’s outstretched foot giving Brighton a 3-0 lead into the half time.
Chelsea had the exact response needed early in the second half as they nabbed a goal back when a wonderful cross from Conor Gallagher was nodded home by Kai Havertz.
Despite Chelsea dominating the second half, it was Brighton who added a late fourth as Pascal Gross brought up 50 goal involvements for the club. He scored from a rebound of Enciso’s shot.
The result marked the first time Brighton have beaten Chelsea in league football, as well as De Zerbi’s first win as Seagulls manager. It sends Brighton into seventh with 18 points.
The Chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ continued to be aimed at Potter and he was booed both before and after the game by the home fans.
