Brighton ease to victory over sorry Chelsea

Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Chelsea

Chelsea fans turned on manager Liam Rosenior as the club’s slim hopes of Champions League qualification suffered another setback, following a 3-0 thrashing away to fellow European hopefuls Brighton.

Albion piled pressure on Blues boss Rosenior by leapfrogging their opponents into sixth place in the Premier League table, thanks to goals from Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood and substitute Danny Welbeck.

Rosenior was the subject of X-rated chants from travelling supporters in the second half at the Amex Stadium before his side’s alarming losing run – and goal drought – stretched to five top-flight games.

With attacking trio Cole Palmer, Estevao and Joao Pedro sidelined through injury, Chelsea failed to register an attempt on target during an insipid display and remain seven points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool, having now played a game more.

In contrast to Chelsea’s ongoing slump, in-form Brighton have taken 19 points from the last 24 available in their quest for continental qualification thanks to a statement victory.

Home fans gleefully rubbed salt into the wounds of the visitors by chanting in favour of Rosenior, who ended his playing days and began his coaching career with the Seagulls.

Chelsea turned up having slipped off the pace in the battle for a top-five finish following just one win from their last eight outings.

England forward Palmer and top scorer Pedro were notable absentees for the goal-shy Blues – team news seemingly leaked on social media earlier in the day by Marc Cucurella’s barber.

Brighton swiftly ensured the struggling visitors would need to snap their lengthy goal drought to take something from the contest by opening the scoring inside three minutes.

After Kaoru Mitoma forced a fine save out of Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Pascal Gross’ subsequent corner was poorly flicked on by Jorrel Hato at the near post, allowing Kadioglu (above) to side-foot home via a deflection off Wesley Fofana.

With a makeshift starting XI, Chelsea’s fluid formation was proving difficult to determine and extremely ineffectual as Brighton dominated.

Sanchez prevented Jan Paul van Hecke doubling Albion’s lead before almost gifting his former club a second.

Seagulls midfielder Hinshelwood was teed up by Carlos Baleba, following a dreadful pass from the Chelsea keeper but, with the goal gaping, his tame effort allowed Trevoh Chalobah to clear off the line.

Rosenior replaced centre-back Fofana with winger Alejandro Garnacho for the second period and was mocked by ironic chants of “we’ve had a shot” from his own fans when Romeo Lavia fired over.

Cucurella – one of three ex-Brighton players in the Chelsea line-up – escaped penalty appeals for a potential handball, as did Seagulls winger Yankuba Minteh before Albion broke to stretch their lead.

Following a slip by Moises Caicedo which left Chalobah as the only defensive cover, Georginio Rutter raced forward and slipped in Hinshelwood (above), who slotted into the bottom left corner.

Explicit chants aimed at Rosenior and Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali emanated from the disgruntled away end in the aftermath of the second goal.

Seagulls fans responded by singing “Liam Rosenior, he’s one of our own” before Sanchez twice prevented Kadioglu adding to the away team’s woes.

Blues substitute Marc Guiu threatened to set up a grandstand finish with a deflected shot which flew wide.

But Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen remained untested and, ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds, Chelsea’s misery was compounded in added time when Welbeck sidefooted in following a low cross from fellow replacement Maxim De Cuyper.