Jamie Carragher makes bold Chelsea claim after 3-0 defeat v Brighton | OneFootball

Chelsea hit another low on Friday night football as they fell to a deflating second defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in the space of a week.

The Blues bowed out of the FA Cup at the fourth round stage following a 2-1 defeat against the Seagulls and failed to muster a response in Friday’s second act.

Despite starting the game on the front foot, an early injury to Noni Madueke seemed to derail Chelsea’s plans.

But it was no excuse for their toothlessness in front of goal as Brighton ran out 3-0 winners, claiming back-to-back wins against Chelsea at the Amex Stadium.

Kaoru Mitoma broke the deadlock inside the opening half an hour with a balletic touch and finish.

Yankuba Minteh doubled Brighton’s lead in the first half before pouncing on a defensive mishap to seal the points for the Seagulls in the second half.

Chelsea have now won just two of their last six games across all competitions and can only boast two wins in nine Premier League games.

Speaking after the game, Jamie Carragher ripped into Chelsea’s project, claiming anything other than a top-four finish would be a disaster for the Blues.

“This idea that this project is going to take three years, the problem is that the best players won’t wait that long,” he said (via BBC Live).

“You can see a frustration starting to build. Cole Palmer is good enough to compete for the biggest honours.

“Nottingham Forest are third and Chelsea have spent over a billion pounds. They are basically playing once a week.

“They have to get Champions League. If they don’t get Champions League, it will be a disaster.”

Chelsea have missed a chance to consolidate their spot in the top four, with Manchester City and Newcastle United squaring off on Saturday.

Depending on the outcome of Saturday’s fixture list, the Blues could drop to sixth in the Premier League table by the end of the day.

Although he has already made it clear that isn’t his objective this season – not the reassuring remark Chelsea fans crave in this turbulent spell.