In a day filled with surprising outcomes, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool all faced unexpected setbacks in their Premier League matches, leaving supporters and analysts stunned by the dramatic shifts in fortune.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, with substitute Danny Welbeck emerging as the key figure by scoring twice.
Brighton’s Maxim De Cuyper stunned the home crowd by heading in the decisive goal during 11 minutes of added time, capitalizing on Chelsea’s struggles after Trevoh Chalobah was sent off in the 53rd minute.
De Cuyper, left unmarked, connected with a precise cross from Mats Wieffer, who had cleverly redirected Yasin Ayari’s deep delivery into the box. Welbeck then confirmed Brighton’s triumph with his second goal, extinguishing any hopes of a Chelsea comeback.
For the second league game running, Enzo Maresca faced the challenge of managing his squad after a red card. Although Enzo Fernandez had given Chelsea an early lead with a header midway through the first half, Chalobah’s dismissal for denying Diego Gómez a clear scoring chance-mirroring a similar incident at Old Trafford last weekend-forced the Blues to reorganize under pressure.
Their inability to adjust effectively has sparked concerns about this youthful team’s capacity to stay composed and maintain tactical discipline when confronted with adversity.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s difficulties intensified as they fell 3-1 to Brentford.
The home side’s dynamic offense and resolute defense overwhelmed United, who struggled to establish any consistent momentum throughout the contest.
Brentford struck early, with Thiago opening the scoring in the 20th minute, leaving United’s backline scrambling. The Brazilian midfielder doubled the advantage just six minutes later, firing in a second goal in the 26th minute to put Brentford comfortably ahead.
United managed to reduce the deficit in the 55th minute through Benjamin Šeško, offering a brief spark of hope. However, Brentford’s defense remained steadfast, denying any further breakthroughs. In stoppage time, M. Jensen sealed the win with a precise finish, much to the delight of the Brentford supporters.
This loss has intensified scrutiny on Reuben Amorim, with mounting speculation about his tenure at the club.
Over in South London, Liverpool’s unbeaten run was snapped by Crystal Palace, who clinched a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park. Despite Liverpool’s potent attacking lineup, they struggled to break down a determined Palace defense.
The Eagles secured the win in the dying moments, just after Federico Chiesa had seemingly rescued a point for Liverpool. This match marked a significant turning point for the Reds, who had won all seven league games this season following their Community Shield defeat to Palace.
Historically, Liverpool has been known for dramatic late goals, with six wins secured by strikes after the 83rd minute. However, it was substitute Nketiah who reversed the script with a spectacular finish, prompting an exuberant celebration from Palace’s usually composed manager, Oliver Glasner.
Palace took the lead in the 10th minute when Ismaïla Sarr capitalized on a swift left-wing move involving Tyrick Mitchell and Yeremy Pino, resulting in Palace’s first corner. Daichi Kamada delivered a pinpoint cross, and Marc Guéhi-who nearly joined Liverpool before the transfer deadline-made a crucial impact. Unfortunately for Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, he inadvertently deflected the ball into his own six-yard box, allowing Sarr to finish with ease.
