Chelsea’s winless run within the Premier League stretched to 4 matches on Tuesday, as a 1-1 draw away to Brighton and Hove Albion noticed their slender titles hopes undergo but extra harm.
Hakim Ziyech’s opportunist strike gave Thomas Tuchel’s aspect the lead in opposition to the run of play within the twenty eighth minute however they lacked spark and will don’t have any complaints.
An easy-on-the-eye Brighton have been rewarded for his or her endeavour when Adam Webster thundered a header previous Kepa Arrizabalaga on the hour after some intense residence stress.
Chelsea started to dominate late on however couldn’t power a winner as Brighton dug deep to protect their level.
Having been critical title contenders a couple of weeks in the past, Chelsea have managed solely three factors from the final 12 accessible and stay in third place with 44 factors, 12 behind leaders Manchester City having performed a recreation extra.
They are additionally one level behind Liverpool having performed two video games extra and until they begin to get again on the victory path quickly, they may discover their top-four place underneath menace.
Ninth-placed Brighton have now drawn 11 video games this season and Webster mentioned they have been disenchanted to not get all three factors in opposition to the European champions.
“I think for the whole game we were the better team. They had a spell at the end but other than that we were the dominant team and on another day hopefully get three points,” he mentioned.
For all Brighton’s vibrant method play early on they struggled to land a telling blow and have been shocked when Ziyech took intention from 25 yards and rifled a low shot that keeper Robert Sanchez may have executed higher with.
Brighton started the second half on the entrance foot and Danny Welbeck was performed in by Pascal Gross however the striker acquired his angles fallacious and blazed huge.
Just earlier than the hour mark Alexis Mac Allister was picked out by the full of life Marc Cucurella however his deflected shot was clawed away by Arrizabalaga.
From the ensuing nook Webster thundered a header into the web after discovering area within the space.
Romelu Lukaku, criticised on the weekend by Tuchel after a 1-0 defeat by Manchester City, had an opportunity to revive Chelsea’s lead from a intelligent lobbed go by Antonio Rudiger however couldn’t beat Sanchez and the Belgian was substituted quickly after.
Tuchel despatched on Kai Havertz and Timo Werner off the bench to attempt to shake up his ahead line and Brighton have been hanging on on the finish however a Chelsea victory would have been undeserved after one other irritating show.
“We looked tired,” Tuchel, whose aspect have performed 15 matches for the reason that begin of December, mentioned. “We tried everything but you could see we are mentally and physically tired.”
