Chelsea endured another dismal evening on the south coast as Brighton & Hove Albion inflicted a second defeat on the Blues in under a week, running out comfortable 3-0 winners at the Amex Stadium.

A stunning strike from Kaoru Mitoma and a brace from Yankuba Minteh condemned Enzo Maresca’s side to yet another frustrating loss, highlighting their ongoing struggles in the Premier League.

It may have been Valentine’s Day, but there was no love for Chelsea at Brighton. Former Seagulls Marc Cucurella and Moisés Caicedo were greeted with hostility from the home fans, and their former club showed no mercy on the pitch. The Blues had early chances through Cole Palmer, but his finishing lacked precision. Worse still, Noni Madueke was forced off with an injury after just 21 minutes, adding to Chelsea’s growing list of concerns.

Having already netted the winner against Chelsea in the FA Cup clash, Mitoma struck again, producing a moment of magic by controlling Bart Verbruggen’s long pass before curling his shot into the bottom corner. The visitors thought they had equalised through Enzo Fernández, but his goal was ruled out due to a foul on Joël Veltman. Brighton quickly capitalised, doubling their lead when Filip Jörgensen’s attempted save led to Danny Welbeck assisting Minteh, who coolly finished past the hapless Chelsea defence.

Minteh sealed Brighton’s victory just after the hour mark, ruthlessly punishing Chelsea’s defensive frailties. The Gambian youngster linked up with Welbeck, outpaced Cucurella, and fired past Jörgensen, with his shot deflecting off Trevoh Chalobah. Chelsea looked out of ideas, with Joao Pedro missing a sitter and the Blues struggling to mount any meaningful comeback.

The defeat extended Chelsea’s miserable away record, with just two wins in eight league matches since Boxing Day. Brighton, on the other hand, ended a five-match winless streak at home in style, further deepening Chelsea’s crisis. A visibly frustrated Palmer summed up the visitors’ night, as the Blues’ struggles show no sign of easing.

With European ambitions fading and consistency nowhere to be found, Chelsea face an uphill battle to salvage their season. Enzo Maresca has plenty to address, but with defensive lapses, attacking inefficiency, and mounting injuries, the road ahead looks increasingly difficult.