Brighton 4-1 Chelsea: Pott Planted As De Zerbi Deserving Of First Brighton Win

Saturday, 29 October 2022 19:40

By Dominic Kureen @WriteOnDom

Brighton returned to their best on Saturday afternoon, as Roberto De Zerbi oversaw his first victory at the sixth attempt - a 4-1 demolition of high-flying Chelsea.

In contrast, Chelsea suffered their first game under Graham Potter as the manager endured a nightmare return to Brighton's Amex Stadium.

It was a first half worthy of Halloween weekend for the visitors as a litany of errors saw Brighton deservedly 3-0 ahead at the break - with jubilant Brighton fans chanting 'You're getting sacked in the morning' at Potter.

Brighton pressed Chelsea from the off and went ahead inside five minutes.

Thiago Silva's poor pass - not the first he had made in the game either - ricocheted off Leandro Trossard from close range. It landed into Premier League debutant Kaoru Mitoma, who drove into the area and skipping over the Chelsea shirts before finding Trossard.

The Brighton forward then lifted the ball over the oncoming Kepa Arrizabalaga for his fifth goal under Roberto De Zerbi.

Brighton's second came nine minutes later as Chelsea continued to be architects of their own downfall. In a flurry of corners, Solly March delivered a fine effort which a rooted Ruben Loftus-Cheek turned 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 (42), leaving Potter dismayed in the away dugout.

5 - Leandro Trossard has scored all five of Brighton's goals in the Premier League under Roberto De Zerbi; the first time a player has netted a team's first five goals under a new manager. Pet. pic.twitter.com/kyKP60TZjj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 29, 2022

Chelsea had the exact response needed early in the second half as they nabbed a goal back when a wonderful, sweeping cross from Conor Gallagher was nodded home by Kai Havertz (48).

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. Julio Enciso had forced two saves from second-half substitute Edouard Mendy, but Gross was there to send the ball home (90+2) and round off a fine afternoon for the Seagulls.

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. However, Chelsea stay in fifth ahead of the remaining games this weekend.