Kaoru Mitoma's magical opener and a Yankuba Minteh double inspired Brighton to a 3-0 win over a lacklustre Chelsea on a difficult night for head coach Enzo Maresca.

The Chelsea boss had already riled up some of the fans by playing down the importance of the FA Cup after their fourth-round defeat at Brighton and the nature of this loss, less than seven days on, will do nothing to help his approval ratings at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca was without a recognised striker and the impact was evident as Chelsea failed to record a shot on target in the league for the first time since September 2021, with Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku rotating in the false nine position.

"Tonight is the worst performance since I arrived, but we are still in the race to finish in the top four," Maresca told Sky Sports after the game. He added: "I feel pressure always. Not only now."

Mitoma earned comparisons to Lionel Messi and Dennis Bergkmap for the opener as he plucked the ball out of the sky before slotting the ball past Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen inside half an hour after a long ball over the top from Bart Verbruggen.

"The touch is as good as anything you will see in the Premier League this season - and the finish isn't bad either," said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher. "That's Messi-like and I don't say that lightly. Pure genius."

Jorgensen got a weak hand to the ball and should have done more to keep it out on a night when the spotlight was firmly on him after taking over from Robert Sanchez as first-choice goalkeeper. He continued to look shaky throughout the game.

Brighton doubled their lead before the break less than a minute after Enzo Fernandez's header was ruled out for a push, with Minteh finishing from close range after the visitors failed to clear Georginio Rutter's cross.

Minteh benefitted from more lacklustre defending for his second as he combined with Danny Welbeck just after the hour to seal the three points and snap Brighton's two-game Premier League losing run, closing the gap on fourth-placed Chelsea to six points.

Some way to bounce back from the 7-0 thashing at Nottingham Forest in their last game.

Player ratings

Brighton: Verbruggen (8), Veltman (7), Van Hecke (7), Webster (7), Lamptey (7), Minteh (9), Baleba (8), Hinshelwood (8), Mitoma (9), Rutter (8), Welbeck (8).

Subs used: Adingra (6), Ayari (6), Gomez (6), O'Riley (6), Pedro (6).

Chelsea: Jorgensen (5), Gusto (5), Chalobah (5), Colwill (5), Cucurella (5), Caicedo (5), Fernandez (5), Madueke (5), Palmer (5), Neto (5), Nkunku (5).

Subs used: Sancho (5), James (5), Dewsbury-Hall (5), George (6).

Player of the match: Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton).

Maresca: Chelsea's worst performance under me

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca speaking to Sky Sports:

"We feel really sorry for the fans that came here.

"In the moment and position we are, 14 games to go and we need to do much better than we did tonight.

"In terms of controlling the game, we did that but I said before the game, when you don't have the nine and threat behind, we arrived at the edge of the box but from there we struggled in the final third.

"Hopefully it can be a turning point from tonight.

"When we play like tonight, there are many things we need to do better. Fortunately, we are still in a good position.

"It is not only mentally in this kind of game. I feel sorry for the fans, it is not the right performance in this moment of the season but we need to stick together.

"I feel pressure always. Not only now. Tonight is the worst performance since I arrived. But we are still in the race to finish in the top four."

Carragher: Chelsea's season could unravel

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:

"Chelsea have got to get back to winning games as soon as possible or this season can really unravel for them. The European competition that they are in [Conference League] is almost not a competition that Chelsea should be in.

"Even if they win that, I don't think there will be much credit for them.

"Of course it's an improvement from last season at this stage but you've got to remember that team last season under [Mauricio] Pochettino, with 14 games to go, only lost one of them. I'm not looking at a team here that is not going to lose one of their next 13.

"They have a lot on to actually improve on what happened last season. This team is not good enough.

"Brighton absolutely battered them in all departments. I'm just watching these Chelsea players go over to the supporters, there are very few of them and they are a very angry bunch, and rightly so.

"Brighton are going to enjoy it and rightly so. Great night for Brighton, puts them right into the mix for European football."

Hurzeler: Mitoma goal was 'special'

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler speaking to Sky Sports:

"Sometimes you can't explain the things from special players. It was a special action from him and he deserves it because he works hard every day. He is fully committed to this club and I am glad he got it."

On the performance as a whole, Hurzeler added: "I wouldn't say it was complete. We suffered at the start and then after the first goal we got slightly too passive. We defended quite well and that was the key today. Compactness, intensity and always doing it together."

Teams

Brighton: Verbruggen; Veltman, Webster, Van Hecke, Lamptey; Hinshelwood (Gomez 74), Baleba (Ayari 84); Minteh (Adingra 89), Rutter (Joao Pedro 73), Mitoma; Welbeck (c) (O’Riley 84)

Unused subs Rushworth, Wieffer, Gruda, Cashin

Scorers Mitoma 27, Minteh 38, 63

Booked Minteh 81

Chelsea: Jorgensen; Gusto (James 64), Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez (c), Caicedo (Dewsbury-Hall 65); Madueke (Sancho 21), Nkunku, Neto (George 65); Palmer

Unused subs Sanchez, Acheampong, Tosin, Anselmino, Amougou

Booked Caicedo 42, Fernandez 64

Attendance  31,503

Referee Chris Kavanagh