By Ashton Cox
Enzo Maresca insisted that the handball was clear in Brighton’s winning goal, as they beat Chelsea 2-1 at the Amex Stadium.
Tariq Lamptey’s shot was blocked by Moises Caicedo, with the rebound then striking Lamptey’s outstretched hand in the build-up to the winner.
The Football Association’s decision not to use VAR before Round Five of the cup means no review of the goal took place.
Nevertheless, the close proximity of both Caicedo and Lamptey plus the falling motion of the Brighton player means the goal may still have stood even with VAR.
Maresca said: “I think the handball is quite clear. In the last two or three days there were many different moments in different games. Without VAR it’s complicated.”
Chelsea were gifted their goal through a goalkeeping error as Cole Palmer’s poor cross was fumbled into the net by Bart Vurbruggen.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler accepted the mistake and claimed Vurbruggen remains a great goalkeeper.
The German said: “Mistakes happen. If a keeper makes a mistake normally it’s a goal. We try to support him because he’s a great goalkeeper.”
The West Londoners once again looked toothless in attack as Christopher Nkunku’s dreadful form as a number nine continued.
This was opitimised when the Frenchman ran through on goal and decided not to shoot from close range, rather square the ball to nearby Palmer who could only head over.
Still, Maresca believes the club won’t miss the loaned Joao Felix despite Nkunku’s form and Nicolas Jackson’s absence.
The Italian said: “I don’t think we miss Joao…. Nico can be back very soon. Sometimes I think you need to play some games without players to realise how important they are.
“Off the ball, his [Jackson’s] pressing is always very good and on the ball he is a threat always.”
Chelsea opened the scoring inside the fifth minute as a patient corner routine led to Verbruggen bundling Palmer’s cross into his own net.
Brighton responded quickly and were level in the 12th minute as Joel Veltman’s cross found an unmarked Joao Pedro, whose header found the bottom left corner.
Kaoru Mitoma scored the winner in the 57th minute after Chelsea failed to clear their lines several times on top of shouts for a handball, before the ball finally broke for the Japanese winger to poke the ball over Robert Sanchez in goal.
Palmer was at the centre of a desperate Chelsea resurgence and perhaps should have equalised in the 74th minute but he rushed his shot on the stretch as it went well wide of the target.