Chelsea held by Brighton as Super League protest mar game

Chelsea drew 0-0 with 10-man Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League as the club’s decision to leave the European Super League loomed large over Stamford Bridge.

Ben White was sent off late in the game for a second booking, after Brighton had already squandered the game’s best chances through Adam Lallana and Danny Welbeck.

Chelsea leapfrogged West Ham on goal difference back into the Premier League top four – with Champions League qualification regaining full significance now the universally-condemned ESL appears doomed.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel had predicted calm in the eye of the storm for the Brighton clash, with The Super League dominating all talk and conjecture in the build-up.

Less than 90 minutes before Tuesday night’s kick-off news filtered out that Chelsea were preparing documents to leave The Super League that had only been announced late on Sunday.