Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Chelsea 1
An Adam Webster header from an Alexis Mac Allister corner saw Albion grab a deserved point against European champions Chelsea at a roaring Amex
It was end to end stuff by the finish and Albion again matched the European champions in every department.
The Seagulls should have gone ahead in the first few minutes after a clever backheel from Danny Welbeck but Jakub Moder dragged his shot from the edge of the area wide.
Albion had Chelsea penned back early on Tariq Lamptey again showing just how pacey and technically gifted, either terrorising Thiago Silva and Marus Alonzo with his speed or wriggling away from several challenges and setting Moder or Pascal Gross scampering away.
Chelsea’s first chance of note fell to Cesar Azpillicueta but his shot was saved with a casual hand by Robert Sanchez – at the other end Welbeck had a shot blocked by Marcus Alonzo, who Albion fans were booing as he didn’t take the knee pre match.
Then just on the half hour Hakim Ziyech scored from the edge of the area to put Chelsea one nil ahead the effort deceiving Robert Sanchez.
Romulu Lukaku then played in Callum Hudson Odoi who belted his shot well over.
Welbeck had another couple of half chance efforts to pull Albion – but it was Lamptey creating most Albion chances picking the ball up deep in most cases and running at defenders
Adam Webster was also able to stride forward with the ball out of defence and couple of times and was the architect of a couple of attacking moves.
Welbeck had a chance right at the start of the second half but was forced wide and fired off target.
Mason Mount saw the ball run away from him and allowed Sanchez to sweep up as Chelsea searched out a second.
Alexis Mac Allister was becoming the main man for Albion as Lamptey tired – he clipped the ball to Welbeck but Silva intervened – Mac Allister then saw a shot well saved by Kepa.
From the corner Webster thumped a header home for 1-1.
Welbeck and Gross were replaced by Leondro Trossard and Neal Maupay.
Mac Allister and Marc Cucurella created a few early chances for Maupay who stumbled and saw the ball hit the outside of his boot, in front of goal in the six yard box.
Webster came striding out of defence again but his cross was collected by Kepa
As he continued to tire Lamptey was replaced by Solly March as Chelsea searched for winner and as Lukaku got clear Sanchez deflected his effort wide with his elbow.
Mateo Kovacic on as a substitute and Alonso both blasted efforts high and wide – Trossard broke but couldn’t qute thread a pass to March.
Chelsea forced a couple a late corners which Burn and Webster dealt with easily.
A very convincing Albion performance thoroughly appreciate by the home fans.
The Seagulls are grabbing unlikely points all over, Liverpool, Chelsea and of course beating Everton.
Albion stay ninth in the Premier League.
Next up is Leicester away (Sunday 23) and beating them would actually create a small gap between the top nine and the bottom eleven . The thought of Graham Potter taking a role at Everton seems inconceivable right now, he really is building a strong foundation at the Albion , it would probably take a Manchester United size approach to even tempt him.
