Fabian Hurzeler Reveals Key Failures That Cost Brighton Victory Against Chelsea

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has pinpointed where his side went wrong, after their first defeat of the season.

Cole Palmer was on fire at Stamford Bridge, netting four goals for Chelsea and easily could have added at least three more. Brighton’s high defensive line left them exposed, allowing Chelsea to break through repeatedly, and it’s fair to say the Seagulls were lucky the scoreline didn’t get even worse.

Despite the defensive lapses, Brighton did manage to pull back two goals in the first half, including an early strike from Georginio Rutter. They regained some composure in the second half, holding Chelsea at bay to finish the game 4-2.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler shared his thoughts with the BBC: “We’re still in the process of building cohesion on the pitch, and today, we just didn’t have that connection. It’s my responsibility as head coach to address that.

“The first half was out of our control. Conceding so many goals was frustrating, but there were positives—we did create chances, but Chelsea defended them well.

“In the end, luck wasn’t on our side. It just wasn’t our day, and we have to accept that we deserved to lose.

“We’re united as a team—we win together, we lose together. But we need to find the right balance and not lose our shape so quickly. There’s a lesson for everyone, including myself.

“And players like Cole Palmer are rare in the Premier League. He’s something special.”