ENZO MARESCA has ordered Chelsea to stop gift-wrapping points for their Premier League opponents.
Boss Maresca admits his team collapsed after Trevoh Chalobah’s 53rd minute sending off.
It is the second red card in a week for the Blues and Chelsea’s frustrated players also became embroiled in a mass bust-up in the penalty box just moments before conceding two late goals.
Maresca said: “The message that we just said inside has been quite clear – against any team in the Premier League you cannot continue to give away presents, because what we are doing at the moment is to give away presents in terms of red cards, that is a big mistake because the game completely changed.
“We were in control, we scored one, we didn’t concede anything, they just said to me also in terms of data, we had so many shots in the first half, 70 per cent of possession, everything was fine.
“And then suddenly, because of our mistake, and then with the red card, again, the plan completely changed.
“So for me we played two games, first-half, and then unfortunately after the red card.
“You cannot continue to make mistakes, also because they are big mistakes in terms of game changes, the red card at Manchester United and the red card today.”
Chelsea face former manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday in the Champions League with the self-styled Special One will be extra pumped to pile on the misery for his old club.
Keeper Robert Sanchez was sent off for a professional foul on Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeum last week.
Chalobah is banned for next weekend’s visit from Premier League champions Liverpool.
Maresca also has to contend with a lengthy injury list that forced him to play left back Jarrel Hato as a centre back against Albion.
Maresca said: “For sure we need to learn, and we need to learn quick, so the reason why it can be a mix of experience or a mix of simple mistakes, then in terms of injury, I think that if you just watch first-half today, you don’t think about the injured players, because first-half again we were in control, dominating the game, and then, again, I would like to tell you something different, but at the end it’s the reality of the last two games, unfortunately with two red cards everything changed.
“Then after that we tried to adjust a little bit with Josh Acheampong coming on, and he was ill over the last week.
“Josh, in that moment, our two central defenders were Josh and Jorrel.
“Both are for fantastic players, fantastic talents, but don’t have so many games in the Premier League, so when you are with 10 players it’s a moment that you have to manage the situation.”
There was also a mass shoving match as the game approached added time.
You cannot continue to make mistakes, also because they are big mistakes in terms of game changes, the red card at Manchester United and the red card today.”
Enzo Maresca
“A kick to the face by Malo Gusto on Yankuba Minteh moments earlier led to a mass confrontation of players in the Chelsea box.
Sub defender Benoit Badiashile was lucky not to get a red card too after grappling with Albion skipper Lewis Dunk.
Chelsea conceded two goals moments later to sink to defeat.
Brighton boss Fabian Herzeler said: “That’s not a great thing to do.
“But in the end we should play football and focus in that and be the best player you can be.
“But my skipper’s there for my team therefore it is important that he steps into it at the right moments. I didn’t see it perfectly.
“But the main thing is that we really stayed calm with good positioning, we had a good structure in one on one positions to create crosses.
“We attacked the box quite well. I wouldn’t say it changed things massively but we had structure and belief from my team to score every second of the game.
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