Enzo Maresca admitted Chelsea’s lack of discipline cost them dearly as a red card paved the way for a 3-1 home defeat to Brighton.
The Blues led through Enzo Fernandez’s 24th-minute header after good work from Moises Caicedo and Reece James.
But the match turned on Trevoh Chalobah’s dismissal in the 53rd minute for a rash challenge on Diego Gomez, leaving Chelsea exposed.
Brighton struck three times late on, with Danny Welbeck equalising in the 77th minute before Maxim De Cuyper nodded in during stoppage time after being left unmarked.
Welbeck then added a third at the death to seal a remarkable turnaround and condemn Chelsea to back-to-back league losses.
Maresca, who also saw goalkeeper Robert Sanchez sent off in last weekend’s defeat at Manchester United, was left frustrated by another costly lapse.
“The message in the dressing room was clear,” he said. “Against any team in the Premier League you cannot continue to give away presents. The red card is a big mistake because the game completely changed.”
Reflecting on the performance, the Italian felt his side had been in control before the sending off.
“We scored one, we could have scored more. We had so many shots first half, 70 per cent of possession – everything was fine. Then suddenly because of our mistake, with the red card, the plan completely changed. We played two games – first half, then unfortunately after the red card.”
Chelsea slipped to eighth in the table and were booed off by home fans, with leaders Liverpool visiting Stamford Bridge next weekend.
“For sure you cannot continue to make mistakes,” Maresca warned. “They are big mistakes, game changing – red card against United and today.”
