Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca emphasized the importance of securing narrow victories, lamenting his team’s FA Cup elimination at the hands of Brighton as a significant disappointment.

The Blues took an early lead in their fourth-round clash at the Amex Stadium, courtesy of an own goal by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the fifth minute. However, Chelsea failed to build on their fortunate start, with goals from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma securing a 2-1 comeback win for the Seagulls.

Since Maresca’s appointment last summer, Chelsea have only managed one 1-0 victory, which came against Bournemouth in September.

“I’ve told the players multiple times, including tonight—we need to learn how to win 1-0,” Maresca stated. “The biggest clubs know how to do that.”

Reflecting on their FA Cup departure, Maresca added, “It’s a real shame for us. But if there’s a silver lining, it’s that we can now fully focus on the Premier League and the Europa Conference League.

“In particular, we hope to maintain our strong run in the Premier League and finish the season well.”

Chelsea’s bright start turned sour when Verbruggen mishandled Cole Palmer’s weak shot, allowing Rutter to head in an equalizer shortly after. Mitoma then struck decisively in the 57th minute to seal Brighton’s victory in this all-Premier League clash.

Without injured forwards Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu, Chelsea—who have won the FA Cup eight times—struggled to create meaningful chances to force extra time.

When asked about the absence of Jackson, who sustained an injury in Monday’s 2-1 Premier League win over West Ham, Maresca noted, “Sometimes you only realize a player’s value when they’re not available.

“We’ve said before how crucial Nico is, both on and off the ball. But even without him, the game was fairly balanced.

“We started well. In the first half, they had one real shot on goal—and it went in. We controlled play and created some chances. The second half followed a similar pattern.

“After conceding the second goal, we had a few opportunities to equalize but couldn’t capitalize.”

Brighton, reeling from a 7-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest the previous weekend, bounced back impressively with this well-earned win.

Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler praised his team’s response: “I learned a phrase recently—just what the doctor ordered.

“It was a great reaction. After a tough week, we showed resilience. Coming back from an early setback and playing with such intensity and courage in possession made this win well deserved.”

Looking ahead to their Premier League fixture against Chelsea on Friday, Hurzeler also backed Netherlands international Verbruggen to move past his costly mistake.

“I won’t dwell on the error—mistakes happen,” the German coach said. “For goalkeepers, errors often lead directly to goals.

“But Bart is a fantastic professional. He has put in some outstanding performances for us, and he has the mental strength to recover quickly.”

Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel remains open to potential moves to Manchester United or Arsenal after turning down a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs had successfully negotiated a €60 million (£50.2m) agreement with Bayern, contingent on Tel’s approval. Club chairman Daniel Levy even traveled to Munich on Friday to present Tottenham’s proposal personally. However, the 19-year-old forward opted to decline the offer, informing Bayern that he preferred to stay unless another club stepped forward before Monday’s transfer deadline.

According to reports from RMC Sport, only Manchester United and Arsenal are still in contention for Tel’s signature, as both clubs have the potential to persuade him to leave Bayern before the window closes. Meanwhile, Chelsea and Aston Villa have reportedly withdrawn from the race.

Sky Germany has revealed that United have engaged in preliminary discussions with Bayern regarding Tel but have yet to submit a formal bid. Similarly, Arsenal has maintained interest in the French youngster since his €28.5 million (£24.4m) transfer from Rennes in July 2022 but has not taken any concrete steps to secure his services.

Chelsea previously expressed interest earlier this month, yet Tel is reportedly hesitant about joining due to the high level of competition within Enzo Maresca’s squad at Stamford Bridge.

The primary motivation behind Tel’s willingness to leave Bayern stems from limited playing opportunities, as he has started only three matches under Vincent Kompany this season.

Bayern Munich’s sporting director, Max Eberl, confirmed on Wednesday that Tel had initially decided to stay but has since reconsidered his stance.

“Mathys originally wanted to stay and prove himself,” Eberl explained. “Now, he has expressed that he is open to a move, and we have to assess our options. His playing time has been limited, which is understandable from his perspective. Given that we are at the end of January, this situation is more complex for everyone involved. We must determine the best course of action for Mathys and Bayern Munich.”

Chelsea are reportedly eyeing Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel as a potential signing, but they may face stiff competition from Manchester United.

Robert Sanchez’s role as Chelsea’s primary shot-stopper has been questioned in recent weeks due to several costly errors. While manager Enzo Maresca has publicly backed the Spanish goalkeeper, he has not provided assurances about Sanchez’s long-term future at Stamford Bridge.

If Chelsea decide to move on from Sanchez next season, they have internal options such as Filip Jorgensen—who joined from Villarreal last summer—and Djordje Petrovic, who has impressed during his loan stint at Strasbourg. Additionally, Belgian prospect Mike Penders is set to join the squad next season to increase competition in the goalkeeping department.

However, The Independent reports that Chelsea could instead opt to bolster their goalkeeping ranks by pursuing Dortmund’s Kobel. While a January move appears unlikely, the club is expected to push for a summer deal for the Swiss international, despite him being contracted to the Bundesliga side until 2028.

Chelsea will not have a free path to signing Kobel, as Manchester United have maintained long-standing interest in the 27-year-old and could also make a move. United are reportedly assessing their goalkeeping situation and may look to upgrade on Andre Onana, though financial constraints could impact their summer transfer plans.

Dortmund are believed to value Kobel between €70m-80m (£58m-66m), making a potential transfer a significant investment for either Premier League club.

Since joining Dortmund from Stuttgart in 2021, Kobel has made 143 appearances across all competitions and has twice been named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season.

Despite speculation about Onana’s future, former United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has expressed confidence in the Cameroonian’s abilities. Speaking to Oddspedia, the Dutch legend backed Onana to establish himself at Old Trafford.

“I think it’s quite early to judge, but Andre [Onana] has a fantastic career ahead of him,” Van der Sar said. “He’s gaining more experience, and he possesses all the qualities a goalkeeper needs. I believe he will continue to improve over the next five to six years.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United are closing in on their first signing under new manager Ruben Amorim, as they finalize a deal to bring highly rated wing-back Patrick Dorgu from Lecce before the January transfer window closes.