Mauricio Pochettino expressed his disappointment after Reece James’ late red card proved costly for Chelsea in their thrilling 2-1 Premier League victory over Brighton.
The match at the Amex Stadium saw Blues captain James receiving a red card for kicking out at Seagulls striker Joao Pedro in the 88th minute. It marked James’ second dismissal of a season marred by injuries, limiting his playing time.
The England defender, making only his second appearance since December due to hamstring surgery, now faces a four-match ban, ruling him out just before Gareth Southgate names his preliminary Euro 2024 squad.
Goals from Cole Palmer and substitute Christopher Nkunku secured the win for Chelsea, lifting them to sixth position in the league table. However, Pochettino lamented the setback caused by James’ expulsion, acknowledging the frustration behind the action.
Reflecting on the incident, Pochettino said, “It’s difficult to give my opinion because I didn’t have time to see the action. Maybe it’s the frustration of him. But, yes, painful. Painful because it was a fantastic night of football and he’s our captain and a really important player.”
Brighton’s Danny Welbeck scored a consolation goal in added time, while Chelsea’s Lewis Dunk suffered a knee injury, casting doubt on his availability for the upcoming European Championship in Germany.
Speaking about Dunk’s injury, Seagulls head coach Roberto De Zerbi expressed hope that it wouldn’t be a significant issue for the player and emphasized the importance of his potential availability for the Euros.
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