Saturday’s 4-1 triumph at the Amex Stadium ruined Chelsea manager Graham Potter’s undefeated start with the Blues. Potter’s former club, Brighton, interrupted his perfect streak with a surprise victory.
Since leaving Brighton to take control of the Blues, Potter had gone nine games without a loss.
However, Brighton spoiled the Chelsea manager’s first reunion with the Seagulls, as their new manager Roberto De Zerbi celebrated his first victory after replacing Potter.
Leandro Trossard’s early strike was followed by own goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trevoh Chalobah, which compounded Potter’s agony and propelled Brighton to a dominating halftime advantage.
Kai Havertz scored the equalizer shortly after halftime, but Pascal Gross’ late goal added salt to Potter’s wounds.
Potter was jeered when he walked off the Chelsea team bus, and he suffered humorous, though implausible, shouts of “you’re getting fired in the morning” from Brighton fans during his club’s awful performance.
It was a forgettable afternoon for Potter, whose team fell to sixth position and is currently eight points behind champions Manchester City.
After clinching their spot in the round of 16 of the Champions League with a midweek victory in Salzburg, Chelsea appeared listless from the outset of their first loss to Brighton since 1933.
When Brighton grabbed the lead in the fifth minute, Chelsea captain Thiago Silva had already been forced to clear his own goal line twice, first to prevent Trossard and then Pervis Estupinan.
On his complete Premier League debut, Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma assisted Trossard, who beat Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga for his sixth goal of the season.
Just 14 minutes into the game, Albion doubled their advantage.
Solly March’s inswinging corner produced confusion, as Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek was unable to prevent the ball from entering his own net via the underside of the crossbar.
“What’s the score, Potter?
Christian Pulisic inexplicably missed the open goal after Conor Gallagher’s original attempt was blocked by Robert Sanchez at the Amex Stadium.
Then, Spain’s goalkeeper Sanchez outdid himself by making an incredible one-handed diving save to deflect Gallagher’s flicked header over the crossbar.
However, Chelsea’s brief comeback was destroyed three minutes before halftime.
Chalobah caused the damage by redirecting the ball past Kepa and into his own goal after Estupinan crossed the ball from the left side.
Four minutes after halftime, following Loftus-pass, Cheek’s Gallagher sent an inviting cross from the right and Havertz beat Albion’s defense to score.
Gross tapped in the rebound after Julio Enciso was denied by substitute goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in the last moments to complete Chelsea’s humiliation. Chelsea had dominated for the majority of the final quarter-hour.