Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has described his team’s 3-0 loss to Brighton on Friday night as their poorest display since he took charge at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues had hoped to bounce back from their 2-1 FA Cup defeat at the Amex last weekend, but their struggles continued in the Premier League clash. Kaoru Mitoma opened the scoring with a stunning strike, before Yankuba Minteh netted twice to secure a dominant victory for Brighton.
“That was probably our worst performance since I arrived, especially given the situation we are in,” Maresca admitted. “We are fourth in the league, and winning tonight would have put us a point behind third place while widening the gap to the teams below. The performance was disappointing, and we feel sorry for our fans who came to support us.”
Maresca noted that Chelsea started the match well but lost control after conceding the first goal.
“For the first half-hour, we were in control, but after Mitoma’s goal, we struggled defensively and found it difficult to create chances,” he said.
The Italian also pointed to injuries, particularly among attacking players, as a major challenge.
“We are dealing with injuries, especially in the forward positions, with key players missing. But we must find solutions,” he concluded.
