Chelsea’s troubles deepened on and off the pitch after their 3-1 home loss to Brighton, with Moises Caicedo’s late altercation now drawing the attention of the English Football Association.

The Ecuadorian midfielder appeared to lash out at Seagulls defender Jan Paul Van Hecke in stoppage time, sparking a brawl that could lead to retrospective action against both Caicedo and Chelsea.

Incident under review

Footage showed Caicedo confronting Yakuba Minteh before turning on Van Hecke, who fell to the ground after apparent contact.

VAR reviewed the clash but deemed the evidence inconclusive. However, ex-Premier League referee Mark Halsey confirmed the FA will assess the incident again and could charge both clubs with failing to control their players.

Possible suspension for Caicedo

Caicedo avoided a red card during the game, but the FA has the authority to issue a retrospective ban if violent conduct is proven.

Such a punishment would leave Chelsea without their £100m midfield anchor, a significant setback given injuries and suspensions already weakening Enzo Maresca’s side.

Chelsea facing mounting problems

The disciplinary issue compounds Chelsea’s crisis. Trevoh Chalobah’s red card against Brighton exposed their lack of defensive depth, while injuries to Cole Palmer and Liam Delap have left the attack short of firepower.

Maresca, who has overseen a poor start to the campaign, is now under pressure ahead of crucial matches against Benfica in the Champions League and Liverpool in the Premier League.