The Frank Lampard effect has not gotten off to the start that some in west London would have hoped for after Premier League giants Chelsea once again failed to secure all three points for the fifth consecutive time on their way to a 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge against high-flying Brighton.
Roberto De Zerbi’s men returned to the capital just one week after PMGOL was forced to issue their third apology to the south coast club in the 2022-23 campaign after numerous incorrect decisions in their loss against Spurs, but the Seagulls once again proved that they have one of the top managers in England on the back of another fantastic result in a campaign that could see them qualify for European football.
Things started brightly for the Blues on the scoresheet when academy product Conor Gallagher got the club up and running on the scoresheet in the 13th minute, but the opener flattered to deceive on account of Brighton’s dominance in all phases of play, with De Zerbi’s men crafting chance after chance and almost guaranteed to find an equalizer if Chelsea could not ultimately stem the tide.
That possibility became a reality three minutes from the halftime interval after substitute Danny Welbeck found an equalizer just minutes after replacing the injured Evan Ferguson, but the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker gave Brighton a goal they wholeheartedly deserved.
One-way traffic continued after the break as De Zerbi’s heralded side pushed to find a goal to take the lead on their travels, but it would be another substitute in 19-year-old Julio Enciso to prove the difference maker with a long-range thunderbolt in the 69th minute to complete the comeback performance, with the Paraguayan scoring his first goal for the club since his arrival on the south coast.
JULIO ENCISO WITH THE ROCKET! 🚀
📺: @peacock | #CHEBHA pic.twitter.com/kdyd1VJJmR
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) April 15, 2023
Chelsea would push for an equalizer through a number of half chances in the remaining fifteen minutes at the Bridge but would be unable to find any points on offer in front of home support in the capital as the club sank to its third consecutive defeat under their former iconic midfielder.
📰 Table Of Contents
Chelsea Player Ratings
- GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga – 7.5
- RB: Trevoh Chalobah – 6
- RCB: Wesley Fofana – 6.5
- LCB: Benoît Badiashile – 6.5
- LB: Ben Chilwell – 6.5
- RCM: Denis Zakaria – 6
- LCM: Enzo Fernández – 6
- CAM: Conor Gallagher – 7.5
- RW: Christian Pulisic – 6.5
- LW: Mykhailo Mudryk – 6.5
- CF: Raheem Sterling – 6.0
- Sub: Hakim Ziyech – 6
- Sub: Mateo Kovačić – 6.5
- Sub: Reece James – 6.5
- Sub: João Félix – 6
- Sub: Mason Mount – 6
Brighton Player Ratings
- GK: Robert Sánchez – 6
- RB: Joël Veltman – 6.5
- RCB: Adam Webster – 6.5
- LCB: Lewis Dunk – 7
- LB: Pervis Estupiñán – 7
- RCM: Pascal Groß – 7
- LCM: Moisés Caicedo – 7.5
- CAM: Alexis Mac Allister – 6.5
- RW: Solly March – 8
- LW: Kaoru Mitoma – 7
- CF: Evan Ferguson – 6
- Sub: Julio Enciso – 8.5
- Sub: Danny Welbeck – 8
- Sub: Jan Paul van Heck – 6
