Chelsea’s unconvincing type continued as their winless run stretched to 4 Premier League video games following an entertaining 1-1 draw at Brighton.
Hakim Ziyech fired the European champions right into a first-half lead on the Amex Stadium with a low strike in opposition to the run of play.
However the third-placed Blues have been second greatest for a lot of the night and will have few complaints about stand-in Seagulls skipper Adam Webster levelling with a thumping Sixtieth-minute header.
Chelsea topped the desk as just lately as the beginning of final month however have spectacularly fallen out of title competition having now gained simply two of their 9 top-flight outings since.
Thomas Tuchel’s males struggled for cohesion and fluidity all through their go to to Sussex, with file signing Romelu Lukaku as soon as once more ineffectual earlier than being withdrawn 10 minutes from time.
The out-of-sorts Blues, who suffered a dangerous weekend loss at leaders on Manchester Metropolis, at the moment are 12 factors adrift of high spot, having additionally performed a recreation extra.
Certainly, the west London membership might quickly be wanting over their shoulders because the plethora of current postponements have left top-four rivals Arsenal and Tottenham with quite a lot of video games in hand within the battle for Champions League qualification.
Excessive-flying Brighton stay ninth following their eleventh draw of a marketing campaign through which they’ve misplaced simply 4 instances within the league.
Tuchel responded to Saturday’s 1-0 loss on the Etihad Stadium by recalling Jorginho, Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The personnel adjustments initially did not have the specified impact as Brighton started with far higher function, prompting Tuchel to develop more and more exasperated on the touchline.
However, regardless of a poor begin affected by sloppy errors, the German was given motive to smile within the twenty eighth minute because the guests edged forward in opposition to the run of play.
Moroccan Ziyech labored area simply outdoors Albion’s field earlier than unleashing a low left-footed drive which caught out Seagulls goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and flew into the underside proper nook.
Chelsea’s celebrations have been muted after entering into entrance
(Getty Photos)
The bolt from the blue nearly actually ought to have been saved by Sanchez and briefly shocked the vocal house crowd.
Brighton head coach Graham Potter who spent a part of his pre-match press convention dismissing hypothesis linking him with the vacant Everton job, had sprung a shock together with his group choice by dropping Leandro Trossard and Neal Maupay.
The attacking pair had contributed greater than half of Albion’s league objectives this time period and, as they watched on from the bench, Potter’s facet couldn’t flip first-half promise into an try on the right track.
Jakub Moder flashed their greatest try vast early on, whereas they might have been additional behind had Hudson-Odoi not wastefully fired over simply earlier than the break.
Danny Welbeck, who claimed a late equaliser when Brighton drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge lower than a month in the past, was given the job of main the hosts’ assault.
The previous England ahead was full of life on his first league begin since struggling damage in September and skewed vast of the left put up simply after the restart.
The end result extends Chelsea’s winless run within the Premier League to 4 video games
(AFP through Getty Photos)
With Dan Burn getting the higher of a bruising battle with Lukaku and former Chelsea man Tariq Lamptey a relentless menace down the fitting, Brighton continued to trigger issues for the away facet and their persistence was rewarded with a deserved leveller on the hour mark.
Alexis Mac Allister pressured a nice save out of Kepa Arrizabalaga earlier than his inviting supply from the ensuing nook was emphatically nodded house by centre-back Webster.
Potter issued a sign of intent by introducing Trossard and Maupay within the speedy aftermath of the equaliser.
Chelsea got here again into the sport after being pegged again however the two sides created little of word within the closing levels.
On a uncommon event when Lukaku escaped Burn, his effort was turned vast by Sanchez, earlier than he was withdrawn.
Mateo Kovacic, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz have been thrown on however couldn’t assist carve out a winner on one other irritating event for Tuchel.
Kaynak: briturkish.com