Sussex

There can be nothing more satisfying for Brighton and their fans than putting Chelsea to the sword.

Chelsea have plundered Brighton down the years; players, managers, coaches, recruitment staff.

After last night, Chelsea are behind Brighton in the table, heading the wrong way, down the table, rather than up it.

Seagulls owner Tony Bloom and trusted chief executive Paul Barber watched on, their satisfaction was palpable.

What Chelsea could not buy was them. Bloom's data, Barber's business acumen; their partnership.

As long as they remain at the Amex, Brighton will continue to punch above their weight.

There are some basic truths. Brighton do not operate under the same scrutiny as Chelsea. When Fabian Hurzeler was struggling earlier this season, the spotlight was not as fierce as the one on Liam Rosenior just now. It provides breathing space and crucial time.

Strategies are planned well in advance. Which players are likely to leave - there are always some - what profile are needed in their place.

Bloom and Barber are nimble in a way the biggest clubs are not. Decision making is easier, reaction to unexpected events quicker.

Brighton are on track for Europe, something Bloom feels should be a target.

They don't get everything right. But, as Chelsea have found out, it goes a lot deeper than just taking their staff.

Scott McCarthy
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

After Brighton beat Chelsea 3-0 at the Amex, I put my GCSE maths B grade from Oakmeeds Community College in Burgess Hill to good use.

Including transfer add-ons, Marc Cucurella cost the Blues £62m. Graham Potter and five of his staff £21m. Robert Sanchez £25m. Moises Caicedo £115m. Joao Pedro £60m.

Making a grand total of somewhere in the region of £283m paid by Chelsea to the Albion since 2022 for various members of staff.

Remarkably, the true figure is probably even higher. Those calculations do not include recruitment figures like Paul Winstanley and Sam Jewell.

Nor does it stop there. Liam Rosenior is a former Brighton full-back. Ex-Albion goalkeeper Casper Ankergren now works as a coach at Stamford Bridge.

After Facundo Buonanotte was deemed surplus to requirements this summer by Brighton as fourth choice number 10, Chelsea signed him on loan.

In 2023, they hijacked Albion's deal to buy Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at the 11th hour when the Leicester midfielder was on route to Sussex for a medical.

BlueCo also bought Julio Enciso and Valentin Barco from Brighton for Strasbourg. What are the odds on that pair swapping France for Stamford Bridge in the not-too-distant future after impressing in Ligue 1?

The only conclusion you can possibly draw now is that Chelsea are obsessed with Albion.

Dare I say it, but this obsession and the asset stripping of anything not nailed down at the Amex means I take as much delight from humiliating them as I do Brighton beating Crystal Palace these days.

And there has been plenty of humiliation done recently. Three consecutive Premier League victories for Brighton over the Blues by an aggregate score of 9-1 alongside eliminating them from the FA Cup last season.

At some point, you might think the penny will drop for Chelsea. That it is not the people who make the Albion successful, but the systems put in place by the one bloke overseeing it all.

Todd Boehly and co. might have all that money. Brighton have Tony Bloom. Good luck buying him.

Find more from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton, external

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Hinshelwood says he "had a feeling" he would score a goal in Brighton's 3-0 win over Chelsea on Tuesday and feels the Seagulls have now "set the standard" for games to come.

The Brighton midfielder told Radio Sussex: "I think we really set the tone early. The early-on goal helped, we filled the pitch with intensity. It carried on throughout the night.

"I think we used frustration from the game on Saturday, we were disappointed.

"I said to my partner and my daughter, who's only 10 months, I said I was going to score today, I just had a feeling. When the first one went by I knew I was getting in the right areas and I just had to keep doing that and I've been doing that the last few weeks and I've been lacking that final touch. When the ball hit the net today it was a nice feeling and a relief.

"We've set the standard now, we can go into each game with great confidence. If we keep the intensity we had today we will have a great chance in all of the games we have left."

Hinshelwood says he will be in attendance at Worthing FC's game against Ebbsfleet Utd to support his dad - Worthing manager Adam Hinshelwood on Saturday.

He added: "For sure I will be there. I think if you told him when he took over at Worthing that if he won the last game of the season, he would get promoted, I think he would have taken it. We need the whole of Sussex to get down there and get behind the team."

listen on BBC Sounds here for the full chat.

We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Premier League game between Brighton and Chelsea.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Sarah: What a cracker of a game! The first 15 minutes was like watching a well-choreographed ballet - tight passing, forward motion and the great Ferdi Kadioglu goal. The rest of the match didn't disappoint either. The team have really come together cohesively as a side. The best game I've seen this season and certainly the worst from Chelsea. I almost felt sorry for them. If we can hold our nerve, we really are in with a chance of Europe. Just a few short weeks after we were being mentioned in terms of relegation.

Simon: We were super, but never needed to be brilliant. It was like watching a pre-season friendly against Crawley, who would have been better than Chelsea. Just need to keep calm and carry on like this and we can book our flights across Europe again.

Sean: No matter how bad Chelsea were tonight, Brighton were completely dominant - very exciting times!

Jake: A strong performance - surely Kadioglu has to be player of the season?But the turnaround Fabian Hurzeler has managed is quite spectacular considering the chants after the loss to Crystal Palace. A number of Albion fans - myself included - need to eat a big slice of humble pie. And frankly, I'm fine with that as he guides us towards a second European campaign.

Chelsea fans

Dave: Liam Rosenior has to go! He should never have been given the job to begin with. We need a strong manager with a record. These players need leadership and some experience on the field.

Baz: Management pathetic in all departments. The majority of players have no passion or care for the club. Bring in new management and players that care for the club.

Graham: Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez,Moises Caicedo, Estevao, Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro will all be talking to their agents in the morning and having the same conversation: "Get me out of here." That was a team that didn't believe in the management, on and off the pitch.

Russell: The worst Chelsea display I've seen in the past 40 years, and that is by far the most expensive side put together. What a complete shambles from top to bottom.

Brighton could offer 23-year-old England goalkeeper James Trafford a route out of Manchester City in the summer. (Florian Plettenberg), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton are the Premier League's most in-form side and are mounting a late push for European qualification.

A fourth win in five meetings with Chelsea across all competitions helped to heighten an already feel-good atmosphere at the Amex Stadium.

It is the latest result in a run that is carrying Fabian Hurzeler's side towards European football. While Champions League qualification remains a remote possibility, a place in the Europa League or Conference League appears a more realistic target.

This sixth win in eight games leaves Brighton top of the form table, supported by a settled and fully fit squad capable of delivering the kind of energetic display seen here.

There was quality in the delivery of the experienced German Pascal Gross, sustained threat from full-back positions through Ferdi Kadioglu, and a defence growing in authority as Jan Paul van Hecke and Riccardo Boscagli continue to build an impressive partnership.

Brighton's strength in depth was also evident, with Maxim De Cuyper and Danny Welbeck combining off the bench for a late third goal.

The contrast with Chelsea is marked. In seeking to emulate aspects of Brighton's model while compromising their own established identity, the Blues have been left with the worst of both worlds. Brighton, by contrast, continue to double down on theirs - with tangible success.

The Seagulls qualified for Europe for the first time in 2023 and, on current form, look well placed to repeat that achievement and embark on just their second campaign on the continent next season.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, speaking to Match of the Day: "Definitely a positive feeling. We played a good football game. It is not just about the result but also what we brought on the pitch - the identity, we were in every phase. It was not just parts of the game that was good but the overall performance. I am proud of the boys.

"Everyone has the intention to start well, but in particular tonight, it felt it was crucial to really show we wanted to win this game.

"We wanted to bring the fans behind us and build a connection and an atmosphere. You always need to bring this intensity on the pitch for the crowd."

On moving into the top six: "It is not that important for us. It is keep focusing on the performance and keep focusing on what we can do right. We have high expectations on ourselves. I always say focus on the process because you will get the results you deserve if you focus on what you can control."

Brighton goalscorer Danny Welbeck, speaking to Sky Sports following their win against Chelsea: "We started well, got an early goal which put us in a great position. I think everyone, down to a man, was brilliant, winning their duels, fighting for the ball, second balls.

"It was a really good performance, really strong. It's good to get three goals and a clean sheet. It's positive, sets us up nicely going into the last few games of the season."

On how Fabian Hurzeler's plan allows for flexibility: "JP [van Hecke] is an incredible player. Not only is he an incredible centre back, he's got the ability to step into midfield, to create things from the back and, as you've seen today, step into midfield and play decisive passes as well.

"You've got to use the strengths of the players. With the way the manager sets us up, we always have different patterns where players are rotating, players are stepping forward with the ball, there's lots of options to play forward."

Did you know?

• Since the start of last season, Brighton have won four of their five meetings with Chelsea across all competitions (L1); only Arsenal have won as many games against the Blues in this period (P6 W4 D2).

• Danny Welbeck tonight equalled the goalscoring record for Brighton in a Premier League season (13 – level with Glenn Murray from 2018-19), while his 13 in the current campaign is also the most by any English player.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brighton's performance

What did you make of Chelsea's display?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Brighton make three changes, including a reward for Georginio Rutter after his late equaliser at Tottenham to start in place of Danny Welbeck up front.

Yasin Ayari and injured Diego Gomez drop out for Kaoru Mitoma and Carlos Baleba.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Gross, Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma.

Subs: Steele, Igor Julio, Veltman, Dunk, De Cuyper, Ayari, O'Riley, Welbeck, Kostoulas.

Chelsea make two changes from the defeat at home by Manchester United, drafting in Romeo Lavia and Trevoh Chalobah for injured pair Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian.

The two attackers have hamstring injuries while Joao Pedro is not involved.

The Blues are lining up in a back five for just the second time this season.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato, Cucurella, Fernandez, Lavia, Caicedo, Neto, Delap.

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Tosin, Sarr, Acheampong, Essugo, Andrey Santos, Garnacho, Guiu, Derry.

The last time Chelsea lost five consecutive league games without scoring was 1912, when the Titanic sank.

Their season under Liam Rosenior is heading the same way, but it could still be salvaged despite their rotten form.

After losing four in a row, a top-five finish looks unlikely now - but sixth place would get them in the Champions League if Aston Villa finish in the top five and win the Europa League.

They are in the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend, too. Rosenior says he feels "100% support" from the club's owners but you can't get away from the fact there are lots of doubts about his future.

This is a huge end to the season for them and there is unrest everywhere - the fans protested about the owners before their defeat by Manchester United on Saturday, because they do not want a youth-development model - they want to be competing again, and winning things.

So they are under pressure and Brighton have their sights set on the top six too - they will go above Chelsea if they win this game, and with three wins and a draw from their past four matches, they are on a much better run.

The Seagulls beat them at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, with a couple of late goals from Danny Welbeck after Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah was sent off.

I have just got a feeling it could be a similar story this time and Brighton are definitely going to get something.

It is hard to make a case for Rosenior's side to win it, other than to think that they have got so much quality in their team that they are going to improve and break this cycle eventually.

I think Chelsea will score this time, but I do not see them keeping a clean sheet.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say

Struggling Chelsea travel to the south coast to face in-form Brighton on Tuesday (20:00 BST).

Welbeck enjoys playing Chelsea

After ruining the spirits of one London club at the weekend, Brighton are looking to repeat the feat against another.

The Seagulls' draw at Tottenham means they are unbeaten in their past four Premier League games. They are top of the form table with five wins in their past seven league matches and have put themselves firmly in the hunt for a European place.

Danny Welbeck has been a big part of Brighton's form with his 12 league goals the joint-highest tally in the top flight by an Englishman (along with Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White).

Welbeck has a good recent record against Chelsea, having been involved in seven goals in eight Premier League appearances against them for Brighton, with five goals and two assists.

Two of those goals came in the reverse fixture, in which Brighton came from behind to win 3-1, with Welbeck sealing victory in stoppage time.

Late goals have been a feature of Brighton's season, with only Liverpool scoring more than the Seagulls in the final 10 minutes of games this campaign. Some of the credit must go to head coach Fabian Hurzeler's tactical adjustments, with substitutes scoring a joint-high 11 goals in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, Hurzeler has never lost a Premier League match against an English manager in nine meetings (W7, D2) against Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe, Gary O'Neil, Graham Potter and Scott Parker.

Chelsea's goal struggles

Liam Rosenior won his first four Premier League matches as Chelsea head coach but defeats in his past four have put him under pressure, even though it is only just over 100 days since his appointment.

"A successful season for this club has to be to qualify for the Champions League," Rosenior said last month but that is looking increasingly unlikely and after Saturday's defeat by Manchester United he said it was now "a mountain to climb".

It's six defeats in seven games in all competitions and the Blues are now in danger of losing five league matches without scoring for the first time since 1912.

Chelsea's xG of 61.75 is the highest in the Premier League, yet their actual goals tally is only 53, suggesting they are making - but not taking - their chances.

However, in defeat to United they struggled to create any meaningful goalscoring opportunities despite having 21 shots, which is their second-highest tally in a league game this season and their xG of 1.55 equated to a paltry 0.07 per shot.

Pedro Neto hasn't scored in the league in 2026 while Liam Delap hasn't scored in his past 20 appearances and Cole Palmer's last goal was at the beginning of March.

Top scorer Joao Pedro missed the United game with a thigh injury but is expected to be fit for the trip to his former club, where the Blues desperately need him to add to his tally of 14 league goals this season.