Chelsea boss, Frank Lampard has praised midfielder Conor Gallagher and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after their 2-1 defeat to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.
It was Lampard’s first at Stamford Bridge since he took over as the interim manager, replacing Graham Potter until the end of the season.
Chelsea got off to a bright start as Gallagher fired them ahead after just 13 minutes but Brighton grew into the game and levelled by halftime through Danny Welbeck’s header.
Then in the second half, Roberto De Zerbi’s side stepped up a gear and Julio Enciso’s brilliant long-range strike sealed a deserved win for them and handed Lampard his third defeat in three games since his return.
“They could have scored more. Kepa was fantastic. Conor Gallagher was another who gave every drop individually,” Lampard told Match of the Day
Chelsea will now have two days to prepare for Real Madrid who travels to London on Tuesday for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash at Stamford Bridge.
The Champions League remains Chelsea’s only hope of winning silverware this season but their hope is now very slim after the first leg ended 2-0 in favour of the La Liga champions at the Bernabeu.