In a crucial Premier League encounter, Brighton claimed their maiden league win at Stamford Bridge in their 122-year history by defeating Chelsea 2-1 on 15 April 2023. The Paraguayan forward, Julio Enciso, scored the winner into the top corner from 35 yards to help Brighton continue their European qualification push. Playing in his 10th match for the Seagulls, he looked impressive throughout the game [3].
Brighton dominated the first half and were faster, stronger, slicker, and more coherent than Chelsea. They could have been ahead by several goals in the first half, but they were somehow level on the scoreboard [12]. In the second half, Chelsea showed some signs of improvement, but Brighton remained the better team throughout the game.
Chelsea had a wildly-changed lineup against Brighton, as they had a Premier League match sandwiched between their UEFA Champions League matches [21]. This disappointing loss to Brighton leaves Chelsea 11th in the Premier League table, which would be their worst finish since 1995-96. The Blues were completely outplayed by Brighton at Stamford Bridge [8].
The Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, has been having a disappointing start to his second spell as the Chelsea manager, and this loss to Brighton continued his losing run. This defeat means that Lampard’s side has lost four consecutive Premier League games. He will need to find a way to lift his team ahead of the crucial Champions League second-leg clash with Real Madrid in midweek [7].
Brighton’s victory over Chelsea was significant as it helps them continue their push for European qualification, which would be a historic achievement for the club. Their impressive performance against Chelsea shows that they are capable of competing against the top teams in the Premier League [4]. The Brighton player ratings were decent, with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s elite distribution being a real asset for the team. Joel Veltman was booked early on as part of his lackluster performance, while Julio Enciso scored the winning goal [2].
Overall, Brighton thoroughly deserved their victory over Chelsea, dominating the game from start to finish. This result adds more pressure on Frank Lampard and his team, who will need to bounce back quickly to avoid any further drop in their Premier League standings. On the other hand, Brighton will look to build on this historic win and continue their push for European qualification [15].