It was a Cole Palmer day at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea delivered a resounding 4-2 victory against a Brighton & Hove Albion side that had started the season with promise and appeared reinvigorated. From the opening whistle, Chelsea dominated the match, pressing high and controlling possession, yet it was Brighton who took a surprising early lead in the 7th minute. The goal sent a ripple of excitement through the traveling fans.
Chelsea, however, remained unfazed and quickly turned the tide. Their equalizer came in the 21st minute, courtesy of a sharp assist from Nicholas Jackson, who slipped a perfect pass into the path of Cole Palmer. Palmer, calm and composed, slotted the ball past the Brighton keeper to restore parity.
Just seven minutes later, Chelsea won a penalty after a clumsy challenge in the box, and Palmer stepped up confidently to dispatch it, giving Chelsea the lead in the 28th minute. From then on, it was a one-man show as Palmer seemed unstoppable. In the 31st minute, he added a third.
By the 41st minute, Palmer completed his hat trick and added a fourth for good measure. Chelsea could have extended their lead even further before halftime, but Noni Madueke’s effort struck the post, much to Brighton’s relief.
The second half saw Chelsea continue their dominance, but a mix of wasteful finishing and Brighton’s desperate defending kept the scoreline from getting any worse for the visitors. Palmer was clearly the star of the match, having secured a memorable four-goal haul.
Despite the early scare, Chelsea’s commanding performance reaffirmed their status as title contenders, while Brighton, despite flashes of their early-season form, were left to reflect on the gulf in quality between the two sides.