Chelsea at Brighton result: Bumbling Blues held by Brighton again in 1-1 draw

Kyle Bonn

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Chelsea at Brighton result: Bumbling Blues held by Brighton again in 1-1 draw image

After a humbling by league leaders Man City, Chelsea was tasked with moving on from the disappointing defeat and continuing to push to secure a top four Premier League position. They failed, and the Premier League title has fallen further out of reach.

A second 1-1 draw of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion leaves Chelsea 12 points back of Man City, leaving the Blues a distant third behind Man City and Liverpool.

Aside from Hakim Ziyech's speculative effort that probably should have been saved, Chelsea was utterly toothless in the attack, putting together just a 0.62 xG return from eight total shots. Adam Webster cancelled that opener out with a second-half bullet header to share the points.

he Blues have managed victory in just one of their last five league games, a concerning return for a club that appeared assured of a Champions League place and was pushing for a challenge to Man City's title defense. Today, they lead at the break, but it came on a speculative effort, and the performances as a whole remains concerning. The past few weeks have proven Chelsea to be lobotomized, as Tuchel continues to shuffle the deck to no avail.

MORE: Christian Eriksen could be returning to the Premier League

Brighton, in contrast, gets something from the game to harden its grip on ninth place, sitting on 29 points. The draw is Brighton's 11th of the season, most in the Premier League, but this one feels like a victory.

Sporting News will be following the match live and providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

Brighton vs. Chelsea final score

  1H 2H Final
Brighton 0 1 1
Chelsea 1 0 1

Goals:
28th minute – CHE – Hakim Ziyech
60th minute – BRI – Adam Webster

(All times Eastern)

FULL-TIME: Brighton 1-1 Chelsea

For the second time this season, Brighton has picked up a point agianst Chelsea with a 1-1 result. The Blues were poor in attack yet again, and there's very little for Thomas Tuchel to take back as positives. No matter who he throws up front – Lukaku, Ziyech, Mount, Werner, Havertz, Pulisic – the return has been paltry.

Brighton's 11th draw of the season is a quality result, as Graham Potter produced a masterclass with pacey attacks down the flanks, good attacking possession, and structured defending. Brighton deserved the result, and Chelsea falls even further back in the fading title race.

93rd minute:  The two German substitutes break for Chelsea, but it's two-on-six and Werner has nowhere to go. It feels like Chelsea's last chance.

90th minute:  Chelsea corner cleared, Kovacic volley from distance nowhere close. It's just not happening for the Blues at the moment. Four minutes to be added on. Both teams feel equally likely to come away with all three points.

85th minute:  Away fans at the Amex light up after Mason Mount goes down in the penalty area, but Kevin Friend waves away the protests. It did look like there was contact from Steven Alzate going through the back of Mount, but not enough to tempt the referee. Chelsea pushing much harder in the final 10 minutes, but Brighton has held firm. Blues remain at 0.57 xG for the match with five minutes left in regulation.

80th minute:  Dan Burn pulverizes Hakim Ziyech and gets a yellow card. The triple substitution for Chelsea arrives.

Antonio Rudiger also finds himself into the referee's book after a lengthy argument with Kevin Friend.

76th minute:  Solly March replaces Tariq Lamptey who gets a resounding applause. To his credit, Lamptey ran off with the spring of a player off the opening whistle. Surprising Lamptey has been replaced, as he has been dangerous throughout. Brighton may be shutting things down.

Chelsea finally readying its first substitutes, as Kovacic will come on alongside Kai Havertz and Timo Werner. Pulisic left out. It feels too little too late from Tuchel.

74th minute:  Cesar Azpilicueta's challenged header goes wide. It was well defended, but the closest Chelsea's come in ages. Next header for Lukaku but defended well again. Out for a third corner, after Kevin Friend has a chat with Azpi. Third corner goes over everyone and out for a goal kick.

Home fans getting cheeky.

70th minute:  It's all Brighton at the moment. Webster goes past three Chelsea defenders on a pacey run, but his cross is collected by Kepa.

Chelsea has produced 0.34 xG against a mid-table side, yet Thomas Tuchel is asleep on the sidelines.

68th minute:  What a chance for Brighton! Another well worked spell of possession sees Lampted cross it to Maupay who does very poor to control the ball on the doorstep. It wasn't right on a platter but he should do better. There was no Chelsea defender around to block a shot.

And straight after there's another chance! This time from the other side, Trossard rifles it across the box and it's just out of Maupay's reach. Graham Potter goes full surrender cobra.

67th minute:  Chelsea is looking for a response, but Marcos Alonso sends a shot sailing over the bar. It wasn't a terribly effective chance. The Blues are royally frustrated. Thomas Tuchel has not yet countered from the sidelines. Pulisic, Werner, Havertz all collecting dust on the bench.

60th minute: GOAL! BRIGHTON! A brilliant Kepa save tips out an Alexis Mac Allister effort, but on the ensuing corner Brighton comes level through a thumping header by Adam Webster . It's a  beautiful  corner routine, as Webster finds himself with acres of space right on the penalty spot after cutting back from the crowd on a looping run. It's delivered right to him by Mac Allister on the corner, and he produces a violent finish. It's level. Brighton deserves the return.

Brighton makes a double change right after, with Welbeck and Moder off for Trossard and Maupay. Two fresh and prolific attackers could prove threatening for Brighton soon after going in front. Maupay is the Seagulls' leading scorer.

59th minute:  Thiago Silva bodies Gross off the ball before Dan Burn produces a thumping tackle on Lukaku down the other end. Center-backs on both sides keeping things shut down.

Marcos Alonso is carded after hacking Lamptey down on the counter...he knew what he was doing.

57th minute:  Marcos Alonso has had to deal with Tariq Lamptey all match, and he gets a talking to from referee Kevin Friend before Brighton earns a corner. Lukaku sends it away powerfully with a header.

51st minute:  Danny Welbeck barrles his way through into a dangerous position, but he finds himself one-on-many and it comes to nothing. Credit Thiago Silva for ending the chance. The former Arsenal frontman has cropped up on occasion but could be a substitute candidate if Graham Potter wants fresh legs in the attack.

46th minute:  Back under way for the second half. No changes for either side, as both sides will take something from the first half but also look for improvements.

CHANCE FOR BRIGHTON! Straight from the kickoff, Pascal Gross slots in Welbeck streaking to the left post, but his off-balance shot is poorly aimed. Great start for Brighton.

HALFTIME: Brighton 0-1 Chelsea

A sleepy first half is punctuated by Ziyech's weird goal. Overall Brighton can be happy about the 45 minutes, but the goal changes the narrative. What otherwise would have been a positive first half for Brighton, having controlled the match and snuffed out 45 minutes of action now becomes a hill to climb. Brighton looks good enough to find an equalizer, but Chelsea will feel comfortable defending, whereas before the Blues would have been nervy and have more need to get forward.

The Blues have to get Romelu Lukaku more involved, or there's no point in him being on the pitch. It's been a horrid few matches for Lukaku who looked a real threat earlier in the Premier League season.

45th minute:  Dan Burn is lucky. Hudson-Odoi snatches the ball off his feet in the attacking third, but the Chelsea man's subsequent shot is well high.

43rd minute:  Ziyech produces a wonderful turn in midfield, then a horrid pass to Lukaku and it goes out of play. Lukaku looks extremely frustrated. It's just his second touch of the entire match, a putrid return.

40th minute: The game has returned to the way it was before the goal, with Brighton holding more of the solid attacking possession and Chelsea absorbing more pressure than maybe they had expected. Yet Chelsea leads. A real defining moment in a game otherwise lacking one.

28th minute: GOAL! Chelsea! Out of absolutely nothing, Hakim Ziyech takes aim from very far away and somehow sneaks it inside the near post. For all Brighton's hard work, they're now down a goal. Robert Sanchez won't want to see it back, his positioning and reaction was awful. What a letoff for Chelsea, and what a massive mistake by Brighton who was in complete control of the match.

27th minute:  A nice chipped ball in for Danny Welbeck results in a tight-angle chance, but Welbeck's ninja kick whiffs and the ball goes out of play. It's not a clear chance, but Brighton is still the better team as Chelsea remains entirely toothless.

21st minute:  Tariq Lamptey leads a scintilating counter that only reaches just beyond the halfway line, but his quickness and skill is still noted by the home crowd with cheers. It leads to a long spell of attacking possession by Brighton. "SEAGULLS! SEAGULLS!" can be heard booming around the Amex. Brighton has been the better side, and the home fans are giving thanks.

16th minute:  Chelsea with a corner after Sanchez gets his hand to an Azpilicueta shot, but it's cleared by Veltman. Nothing in this match since Brighton's early chance.

11th minute:  Brighton going for the left flank often on its counter-attacks, with Tariq Lamptey getting involved high up the pitch. Now they go right for the first time and Joel Veltman draws a foul. Full-backs for Brighton having a strong start, and it's pinning Chelsea's wide men back. Cucurella with some important touches in the attacking half too.

9th minute:  Chelsea controlling possession but unable to produce much. Brighton picking its spots well when pressing, pushing the Blues back to recycle often.

Thomas Tuchel looks VERY frustrated on the sidelines, gesticulating tactical instructions wildlly before muttering to himself.

3rd minute:  Moder with a BRILLIANT chance for Brighton and should have scored! Spectacular ball movement at the top of the box, but the Brighton midfielder can't finish strongly as the ball skitters wide left. A real opportunity, and Chelsea will need to do better.

Thiago Silva appeared to be injured in the aftermath of the move. At 37 years old, the Brazilian has struggled with injuries of late, and this will be something to watch moving forward. Could force Chelsea back into a back-three if he has to go off. Only Malang Sarr is available at center-back.

1st minute:  We're under way! Looks like Chelsea is actually playing a more traditional 4-3-3, Alonso and Azpilicueta as the full-backs. Surprising from Tuchel.

It also seems that Jakub Moder is playing as a false nine, with Danny Welbeck drifting out wide. Not sure what that's about from Graham Potter, when there's a striker in the lineup, but we'll see how it works out.

2:52 p.m.:  It's been a day of 4th minute goals for underdogs. What does Brighton have?

2:30 p.m.:  Thomas Tuchel said he is trying to be careful with Mateo Kovacic's minutes, having played three straight Premier League matches after returning from a groin injury.

2:29 p.m.:  Timo Werner made headlines in the run-up to today's game after saying he recognizes his poor form, and he's not sure why Chelsea fans support him after the struggles he's faced. It's some honesty from the German who's on the bench to start today's game.

2:05 p.m.:  Lineups are in. Thomas Tuchel makes three changes, including American Christian Pulisic who drops to the bench in favor of Mason Mount.

Graham Potter brings in striker Danny Welbeck who was the hero off the bench at Stamford Bridge in late December as these two sides played to a 1-1 draw. Today Welbeck gets the surprise start, seeing both Neil Maupay and Leandro Trossard both drop to the bench, which is a big call for the Seagulls head man.

1:30 p.m.:  Brighton is without defender Lewis Dunk, who has returned to training but isn't ready to take part just yet. The club captain, who has been out since early December with a knee injury, has developed a formidable central defensive partnership with former Fulham center back Dan Burn over the past few years. He was central to the clean sheet against Chelsea last season at Stamford Bridge.

1:00 p.m.:  Chelsea attackers Timo Werner and Mason Mount will both be looking to return to the starting lineup after coming off the bench against Man City. Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel came under fire for leaving critical players like Mount and Jorginho on the bench for that important game.

Brighton vs. Chelsea lineups

The Seagulls have a number of injury concerns that plague them heading into a tall task against Chelsea. Lewis Dunk remains out with a knee injury, which is a big miss in the heart of the Brighton defense. Also ruled out is the duo of Jeremy Sarmiento and Enock Mwepu , both struggling with thigh injuries. Yves Bissouma is away on AFCON duty.

Adam Lallana is also missing after picking up a knock last time out, failing his late fitness test. Also missing is  Shane Duffy who has an ankle problem. Thankfully for Brighton,  Tariq Lamptey is back in the starting lineup after his appearance off the bench last time out.

With Lallana unable to prove fit, head coach Graham Potter brings in Colombian international  Steven Alzate for his fifth Premier League appearance of the season, leaving 20-year-old Moises Caciedo on the bench awaiting his first start.

Brighton starting lineup (3-4-2-1): Sánchez (GK) – Veltman, Webster, Burn – Cucurella, Gross, Alzate, Lamptey – Moder, Mac Allister – Welbeck

Brighton subs (9):  Scherpen (GK), McGill, Maupay, Trossard, March, Caciedo, Roberts, Leonard, Ferguson.

Chelsea is without the usual trio of Reece James , Trevoh Chalobah , and Ben Chilwell who all have missed time due to injury and will likely be sidelined for some time moving forward. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is on AFCON 2022 duty, and Andreas Christensen is questionable as he looks to return from a bout with COVID-19.

MORE: Chelsea keeper wins FIFA Best GK award

Otherwise, the squad is fit, and the biggest question for Thomas Tuchel is how to jump-start the sputtering Chelsea attack. The Blues were shut out by Man City in last weekend's table-topping clash, and they have scored more than two goals in a Premier League match just twice since the start of February.

Tuchel shakes things up in the attack, but not as much as maybe expected. Mason Mount comes back into the side after disappointingly dropping to the bench against Man City. German duo Kai Havertz and Timo Werner still remain on the bench, as Hakim Ziyech remains in the lineup. Callum Hudson-Odoi comes into the eleven, likely at wing-back with Cesar Azpilicueta dropping back to the heart of defense. That leaves  Christian Pulisic  on the bench as well, with the American falling among the substitutes.

Chelsea starting lineup (3-4-2-1): Kepa (GK) – Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger – Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Hudson-Odoi – Mount, Ziyech – Lukaku.

Chelsea subs (9):  Bettinelli (GK), Hall, Sarr, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Havertz, Pulisic, Werner.

How to watch Chelsea vs. Brighton

  • Date: Tuesday, Jan. 18
  • Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: USA Network
  • Streaming: fuboTV (free trial for new users) , NBCSports.com  (authenticated users)

Tuesday's Premier League match between Chelsea and Brighton from the AMEX will be shown live on USA Network, which can be streamed on fuboTV , available for new users on a free trial .

The match will also be streamed on NBCSports.com for those with a concurrent cable, satellite or telco subscription.

Chelsea-Brighton betting lines, picks & prediction

Pick : Chelsea win & under 2.5 goals (+260)

Prediction : Brighton 0-2 Chelsea

  • Moneyline : Brighton +390 / Draw +270 / Chelsea -130
  • Spread : Chelsea -0.5 (-130) / Brighton +0.5 (+115)
  • O/U 2.5 total goals : Over +105 / Under -125
  • Both teams to score : Yes -110 / No -115

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.