Skip to main content

Brighton player ratings vs Chelsea: Malick Yalcouye impresses but defenders struggle in Seagulls’ first defeat

Malick Yalcouye
Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club

30.08.26, 17:43 Updated 30.08.26, 17:45 4 Minute Read

Charlie Parker-Turner

Charlie Parker-Turner

Brighton suffered their first defeat of the 2026/27 campaign, being beaten 4-3 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Seagulls were slow out of the blocks, with Romeo Lavia putting the Blues ahead after four minutes, pouncing on a defensive mix-up between Bart Verbruggen and Mats Wieffer to poke home from close range.

Pedro Neto then doubled Chelsea’s lead when poking home Morgan Rogers’ cross, before João Pedro got in on the act with a composed finish after 32 minutes.

Malick Yalcouye offered Brighton hope just a few minutes later, smashing his strike into the back of the net after Charalampos Kostoulas’ effort was parried into his path.

Become a member today.

The Brighton Base needs its community to support independent, high-quality coverage of Brighton & Hove Albion. Subscribe to a monthly or annual package today to be a part of something special.

Subscribe for £5

Already have an account? Sign in

Charlie Parker-Turner

Charlie Parker-Turner Editor

Get started with our free newsletter

Sign up to receive your free newsletter with articles and analysis from our team

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from The Brighton Base.