21 APRIL 2026
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 3 CHELSEA 0 PREMIER LEAGUE
at the AMERICAN EXPRESS STADIUM, FALMER.
Looking to complete a double over the Blues, the Albion welcomed crisis-club Chelsea to the Amex for a Premier League fixture, the game being shown "live" on Sky Sports and broadcast by Talksport and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Last time out Albion had drawn 2-2 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier on the 18 April and for Chelsea's visit the Albion made three changes to their starting line-up from that game, with Carlos Baleba, Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter coming in for Yasin Ayari, Diego Gomez (injured) and Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea had lost their last five games without scoring a goal and last time out they had lost 0-1 at home to Manchester United in the Premier on the 18 April and for the visit to the Amex Head Coach Liam Rosenior made two changes to his starting line-up from the United game, with Trevor Chalobah and Romeo Lavia replacing the injured pair Estevao and Cole Palmer.
In the Chelsea starting line-up were three former Albion players, namely Robert Sanchez, Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo. Head Coach Rosenior had also played for the Albion and also been a Youth Coach for a while.
The teams met three times last season. On the 28 September 2024 in the Premier at Stamford Bridge it was 4-2 to Chelsea, with all four goals being scored by Cole Palmer (21m, 28m, penalty, 31m and 41m), whilst Albion's goals were scored by Georginio Rutter (7m) and Carlos Baleba (34m). In the FA Cup, Fourth Round on the 8 February 2025 at the Amex, it was 2-1 to the Albion, with goals from Georginio Rutter (12m) and Kaoru Mitoma (57m). Chelsea's goal came from Bart Verbruggen (5m, own goal).
On the 14 February 2025 in the Premier at the Amex it was 3-0 to the Albion with the goals coming from Yankuba Minteh 2 (38m & 63m) and Kaoru Mitoma (27m). Earlier this season, in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge on the 27 September 2025 the Albion ran out 3-1 winners with their goals coming from Danny Welbeck 2 (77m & 90+10m) and Maxim De Cuyper (90+2m), whilst Chelsea's consolation came from Enzo Fernandez (24m).
The Albion gave notice of their attacking intent in the first minute when a superb diagonal pass from Pascal Gross found Kaoru Mitoma on the opposite flank and whose goal-bound shot was turned over the bar by Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez. The rampant Seagulls took the lead on 3 minutes when Gross's corner fell to Ferdi Kadioglu in the box and the Turkey international's right-foot shot flashed into the Chelsea net via a deflection off defender Wesley Fofana. 1-0.
It was all Albion as Jan Paul Van Hecke's header was tipped over by Sanchez and Georginio Rutter's curled shot cleared the crossbar. Another chance was missed when Sanchez's pass out from the back went straight to Carlos Baleba who squared the ball to Jack Hinshelwood whose goal-bound shot was cleared off his own goal-line by Trevor Chalobah. A first-half totally dominated by the Albion.
Half-time 1-0.
It was the same story second-half as Mitoma fired wide when well-placed and on 56 minutes a swift counter saw Rutter find Hinshelwood whose low shot found the bottom corner. 2-0. Sanchez then twice came to Chelsea's rescue as he saved successive shots from Kadioglu. In a rare Chelsea foray substitute Alejandro Garnacho just missed the target with a low shot.
There was still time for Albion to notch a third goal in the first minute of time added on when substitute Maxim De Cuyper found fellow sub Danny Welbeck who lifted the ball into the roof of the net for Albion's third. It was Welbeck's 13th Premier League goal of the season - a personal record. 3-0. An emphatic win for the Albion which saw them retain 6th place in the Premier League.
Final-score 3-0.
Match stats:
Albion had 15 attempts at goal, with 9 on target and won 6 corners, free-kicks conceded - 15.
Chelsea had 6 attempts at goal, with 0 on target and won 5 corners, free-kicks conceded - 6.
SUMMARY - An excellent win for the Albion, their sixth in their last eight Premier League games. The Seagulls are on track for European football next season. Within 24 hours of their defeat at the Amex Chelsea sacked Head Coach Liam Rosenior.
Next up for the Albion, a trip to Newcastle this weekend.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Mats WIEFFER (Joel VELTMAN 46), Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Olivier BOSCAGLI, Ferdi KADIOGLU; Pascal GROSS (Capt), Carlos BALEBA; Yankuba MINTEH (Maxim DE CUYPER 77), Jack HINSHELWOOD (Matt O'RILEY 92), Kaoru MITOMA (Yasin AYARI 82); Georginio RUTTER (Danny WELBECK 83).
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K), Lewis DUNK, Igor JULIO, Charalampos KOSTOULAS.
Chelsea line-up (5-4-1):- Robert SANCHEZ; Malo GUSTO (Joshua ACHEAMPONG 92), Wesley FOFANA (Alejandro GARNACHO 46), Trevor CHALOBAH, Jorrel HATO, Marc CUCURELLA; Pedro NETO, Romeo LAVIA (Dario ESSUGO 73), Moises CAICEDO, Enzo FERNANDEZ (Capt); Liam DELAP (Marc GUIU 72).
Subs not used: Teddy SHARMAN-LOWE (G/K), Tosin ADARABIOYO, Andrey SANTOS, Mamadou SARR, Jesse DERRY.
Referee: Craig Pawson (Sheffield).
Fourth Official: Ruebyn Ricardo.
VAR Official: James Bell.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 1 - Yankuba Minteh. Chelsea: 1 - Wesley Fofana.
Possession: Albion - 53%. Chelsea - 47%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Ferdi Kadioglu (Albion).
Attendance: 31220.
NEXT GAME:
2 MAY 2026 - NEWCASTLE UNITED - AWAY - PREMIER LEAGUE -
KICK-OFF 15.00.
Jack Kaye.