Chelsea’s FA Cup campaign came to an abrupt end in the fourth round as Brighton & Hove Albion secured a 2-1 victory on Saturday evening.
The game got off to a chaotic start as Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen fumbled Cole Palmer’s cross into his own net in the opening five minutes, gifting Chelsea an early lead. However, the visitors’ advantage was short-lived, with Georginio Rutter heading home a well-placed cross to bring Brighton level.
Kaoru Mitoma put Brighton ahead early in the second half with a sublime lob, and from that moment, Chelsea struggled to pose a serious threat. Their attack lacked urgency, and Brighton comfortably saw out the game to advance to the FA Cup fifth round.
The win was a much-needed boost for Brighton, who were coming off a humiliating 7-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Brighton Player Ratings (4-2-3-1)
Starting XI:
- GK: Bart Verbruggen – 4.7/10
- A shocking mistake for Chelsea’s opener but made a few solid saves later in the game.
- RB: Joel Veltman – 7.6/10
- Defended well and provided valuable width in attack.
- CB: Jan Paul van Hecke – 7.0/10
- Strong defensive presence, making crucial tackles and clearances.
- CB: Lewis Dunk – 6.6/10
- Solid but was substituted at half-time due to a minor injury.
- LB: Tariq Lamptey – 8.0/10
- One of Brighton’s best performers, constantly driving forward and creating problems for Chelsea’s defense.
- DM: Carlos Baleba – 6.6/10
- Controlled the tempo of the game but was slightly off with his passing.
- DM: Jack Hinshelwood – 6.6/10
- Worked hard defensively but lacked impact in possession.
- RW: Yankuba Minteh – 7.2/10
- Showed flashes of brilliance on the right flank with his dribbling and movement.
- AM: Georginio Rutter – 8.3/10 ⭐ (Man of the Match)
- Scored the equalizer and was a constant creative force in Brighton’s attack.
- LW: Kaoru Mitoma – 7.9/10
- Scored the winning goal with a beautiful lob and caused problems for Chelsea’s defense.
- ST: Danny Welbeck – 7.0/10
- Held up play well and played a key role in linking Brighton’s attacks.
Substitutes:
- Adam Webster (46′ for Dunk) – 6.6/10
- Steady at the back, replacing Dunk at halftime.
- Diego Gomez (67′ for Hinshelwood) – 6.9/10
- Added some stability in midfield.
- Yasin Ayari (75′ for Baleba) – 6.0/10
- Didn’t have much impact in his short cameo.
- Joao Pedro (75′ for Rutter) – 6.4/10
- Helped Brighton maintain their attacking threat.
- Matt O’Riley (88′ for Welbeck) – N/A
Subs not used: Thomas McGill (GK), Eiran Cashin, Brajan Gruda, Simon Adingra
Chelsea Player Ratings (4-2-3-1)
Starting XI:
- GK: Robert Sanchez – 5.6/10
- Couldn’t do much about the goals but didn’t inspire confidence either.
- RB: Malo Gusto – 5.6/10
- Struggled to contain Mitoma and offered little going forward.
- CB: Tosin Adarabioyo – 6.4/10
- Decent in defense but unable to prevent Brighton’s key attacking moments.
- CB: Trevoh Chalobah – 6.3/10
- Similar to Adarabioyo, had a tough time dealing with Brighton’s forwards.
- LB: Marc Cucurella – 6.4/10
- A frustrating return to face his former club. Was decent defensively but lacked attacking quality.
- DM: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 5.9/10
- Struggled to control the midfield battle.
- DM: Moises Caicedo – 7.0/10
- Chelsea’s best midfielder on the night, but his efforts weren’t enough to turn the game around.
- RW: Pedro Neto – 5.9/10
- Ineffective and struggled to get involved.
- AM: Cole Palmer – 6.5/10
- Provided the cross that led to Chelsea’s goal but was otherwise quiet.
- LW: Jadon Sancho – 6.1/10
- Another underwhelming performance, failed to influence the game.
- ST: Christopher Nkunku – 6.4/10
- Made some decent runs but lacked end product.
Substitutes:
- Enzo Fernandez (58′ for Dewsbury-Hall) – 6.5/10
- Added some energy but couldn’t change the course of the game.
- Noni Madueke (74′ for Neto) – 5.6/10
- Little impact off the bench.
- Tyrique George (74′ for Sancho) – 5.6/10
- Struggled to make a difference.
Subs not used: Filip Jorgensen (GK), Aaron Anselmino, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Josh Acheampong, Levi Colwill, Mathis Amougou
Player of the Match: Georginio Rutter (Brighton) ⭐
- Scored the equalizer and was a key creative force for Brighton.
Match Analysis & Talking Points
Chelsea Crash Out Without a Fight
- After an early gift of an own goal, Chelsea lacked intensity and urgency.
- Brighton deservedly controlled the game and were never really troubled.
Brighton Bounce Back Strongly
- Following their embarrassing 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, Brighton showed great resilience.
- Mitoma and Rutter were fantastic, making Chelsea’s defense uncomfortable throughout.
Chelsea’s Season Takes Another Hit
- With this defeat, Chelsea are now out of all domestic cup competitions.
- Their hopes for silverware this season now rest on an unlikely deep run in the Premier League or European competition.
Final Verdict
Brighton: ★★★★☆ – A strong performance and a deserved win.
Chelsea: ★★☆☆☆ – Another disappointing cup exit with little fight.
Next up: Brighton advance to the FA Cup fifth round, while Chelsea must now focus on their remaining Premier League fixtures.
