From the Amex Stadium - Brighton efficaciously extinguished Chelsea's narrow title hopes on Tuesday night by keeping the Blues to a 2nd 1-1 attract a remember of weeks at the Amex Stadium.
Despite an incredibly disjointed first 1/2 wherein they have been second high-quality at some stage in, Chelsea determined themselves beforehand at the spoil.
Brighton began the sport on the the front foot and nearly had the lead internal three mins, but Jakub Moder's low shot slid simply wide of Kepa Arrizabalaga's a long way submit.
Penned lower back through their energetic hosts, Chelsea couldn't muster a shot in anger until 1 / 4 of an hour had passed. The Blues broke, and Romelu Lukaku's lay-off was fired toward the pinnacle nook via Cesar Azpilicueta, however his worldwide teammate Robert Sanchez was capable of get a organization palm to the ball.
However, the keeper's wrists suffered some ill-timed floppiness shortly before the 1/2-hour mark. Hakim Ziyech's crisp power beat him at his near put up as Chelsea took the lead in opposition to the run of play.
The site visitors pretty much discovered their feet thereafter and need to have doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time, but Callum Hudson-Odoi lacked composure after being performed in through Lukaku and blazed his shot over.
Brighton had been deservedly stage at the hour mark. Alexis Mac Allister's deflected shot became brilliantly clawed away through Kepa, but Adam Webster met the resulting corner unmarked and despatched a bullet header into the again of the net.
Marcos Alonso blasted a protracted-range strike narrowly over the bar as Chelsea sought to repair their gain immediately, but Brighton remained within the ascendancy. Substitute Neal Maupay spurned a trio of decent half-chances for the winner, including misjudging Tariq Lamptey's pull-back and letting a thru-ball hit his heels as he changed into slipped in on purpose.
Both facets huffed and puffed as the sport became stretched late on, however neither may want to discover a winner.
The end result leaves Chelsea two points behind Liverpool in 2d in the Premier League having performed games greater and 12 at the back of leaders Man City, who've a game in hand too. Brighton stay ninth.
