Enzo Maresca reacts to woeful Chelsea stat in Brighton defeat and provides Noni Madueke injury update

Chelsea’s Nightmare Continues as Brighton Hands Maresca Another Crushing Defeat

Chelsea’s struggles deepened as Enzo Maresca’s side suffered a humbling 3-0 defeat to Brighton, marking their third loss in four matches. The dismal performance saw the Blues fail to register a single shot on target, leaving serious concerns about their attacking prowess.

Less than a week after being knocked out of the FA Cup by the same opponent, Chelsea found themselves overwhelmed once again at the Amex Stadium. Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma opened the scoring with a breathtaking solo effort in the 27th minute, setting the tone for the Seagulls’ dominance. Yankuba Minteh then compounded Chelsea’s misery with goals on either side of halftime, ensuring a convincing victory for Fabian Hürzeler’s men.

This defeat leaves Chelsea vulnerable in the league standings, with Manchester City poised to overtake them in the top four should they secure a win against Newcastle. Meanwhile, Cole Palmer endured another frustrating night, extending his goal drought to five games. To make matters worse, winger Noni Madueke limped off in the first half with a hamstring injury, with Maresca confirming he would be sidelined for a significant period.

When pressed on Chelsea’s attacking failures, Maresca admitted his team lacked a presence in the box, especially in the absence of striker Nicolas Jackson. “We reached good positions outside the area, but inside the box, we had no presence. We need to find different solutions,” he conceded.

Maresca also acknowledged the growing frustration within the squad, particularly from Palmer, but emphasized that the entire team shared the burden. “This isn’t an individual sport—it’s not just Palmer who’s frustrated. We all are, and we feel for our fans,” he said.

Despite suggesting Chelsea were in control before Mitoma’s opener, Maresca pointed to a lack of “desire” and defensive frailties as key factors in their collapse. With just 13 league games remaining, the pressure is mounting. Can Chelsea turn their fortunes around, or is this the beginning of a deeper crisis under Maresca?