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Chelsea survived a late scare to defeat Brighton and Hove Albion 4-3 in a thrilling Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, maintaining their perfect start to the season under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The Blues took a 3-0 lead before Brighton hit back with two goals and threatened to complete a stunning comeback. Project reports
Cole Palmer restored Chelsea’s two-goal lead with a superb strike, but Pascal Gross scored in injury time to put Chelsea 4-3 up and set up a tense finale.
Chelsea, however, held on for all three points to claim two wins from two Premier League games under Alonso.
The victory also ended Chelsea’s run of four consecutive defeats against Brighton.
Lavia gives Chelsea the initial lead
Chelsea needed just four minutes to break the deadlock, with Romeo Lavia capitalizing on confusion between Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and his defense from a corner to score his first goal for the club.
The opening goal immediately gave stability to the hosts and gave Alonso’s team the platform to establish themselves.
Brighton had a lot of possession, but Chelsea were effective in limiting the visitors’ influence in dangerous central areas.
The hosts were also helped by the composure of new goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was making his Chelsea debut just hours after completing his move from Aston Villa.
Neto and Joao Pedro increase the lead
Chelsea’s high-intensity approach continued to trouble Brighton and the hosts soon doubled their lead.
Morgan Rogers created the opportunity for Pedro
Neto, who finished for 2-0.
Chelsea continued to exploit the spaces behind Brighton’s defence, with their attacking movement repeatedly putting the visitors under pressure.
Joao Pedro then added a third after being set up by Jorrel Hato.
The Brazilian had missed an earlier chance but made no mistake with his second chance, giving Chelsea a 3-0 lead before half-time. At that point Chelsea looked set for a comfortable victory.
Brighton begin their comeback
Despite being three goals down, Brighton refused to give up.
The visitors continued to dominate possession and eventually found a gap in Chelsea’s defense before half-time, giving themselves a lifeline.
Chelsea’s first-half performance was truly impressive, but the goal served as a warning that the match was far from over.
Brighton returned after the break with renewed determination and began to ask more questions of the Chelsea defence.
The Seagulls missed an important opportunity to reduce the deficit further before getting their second goal with a deflection.
The lucky goal changed the momentum of the match and suddenly gave Brighton the belief that they could complete one of the biggest comebacks of the weekend.
Palmer restores Chelsea’s lead
Chelsea were forced to withstand sustained pressure as Brighton pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
The hosts also had chances, with Palmer missing an opportunity from close range.
However, the England international made amends when it mattered.
Palmer received the ball outside the penalty area and produced a superb finish to beat Verbruggen and make it 4-2.
The goal appeared to have calmed Chelsea’s nerves and restored the two goals they needed to control the final stage.
It was Palmer’s second Premier League goal of the season and another demonstration of his importance to Alonso’s plans.
Brighton scored late to set up a tense finish
Just when Chelsea seemed to have secured victory, Brighton produced another breakthrough.
Pascal Gross found the net deep into added time to make it 4-3, creating a nervy finish at Stamford Bridge.
The late goal gave Brighton one last opportunity to seek an equaliser, but Chelsea managed to protect their lead and see out the remaining moments.
The final whistle finally confirmed a seven-goal thriller in favor of the hosts.
Martinez makes his Chelsea debut
The match also marked Martinez’s competitive debut for Chelsea, who completed his move from Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Argentina international was immediately handed the starting goalkeeper role by Alonso, replacing Robert Sanchez.
Martinez joined Chelsea on a three-year contract after six seasons at Aston Villa, where he made 256 appearances.
The 33-year-old arrives with considerable Premier League and international experience, having played a key role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph and Copa America victories in 2021 and 2024.
Despite conceding three goals on his debut, Martinez produced a composed performance in several dangerous moments and helped Chelsea survive Brighton’s pressure in the second half.
His arrival is expected to intensify the competition for the goalkeeping position at Stamford Bridge.
Alonso maintains a perfect record
The victory means Alonso has now won his first three competitive matches as Chelsea manager.
The former Bayer Leverkusen manager began his time in the Premier League with a 3-2 win over Fulham before guiding Chelsea past Luton Town in the Carabao Cup.
Sunday’s win over Brighton means Chelsea have won both of their opening matches of the Championship.
However, the drama of the victory will give Alonso plenty of food for thought.
Chelsea led by three goals but allowed Brighton to reduce the deficit to 3-2 before Palmer restored the two-goal advantage.
Gross’ late goal meant Chelsea couldn’t relax until the final whistle.
Chelsea put an end to Brighton’s Hoodoo
The victory was particularly significant as Brighton had enjoyed considerable success against Chelsea in their previous meetings.
The Seagulls had won the previous four meetings between the two clubs, making Sunday’s result Chelsea’s first victory over Brighton in that sequence.
For Alonso, finishing that run by maintaining it
Chelsea’s perfect start represents another important step in asserting its authority at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues also demonstrated their attacking strength, scoring four goals against a Brighton side who had opened the season with an impressive 4-0 win over Aston Villa.
Palmer leads Chelsea’s charge
Palmer has once again emerged as one of Chelsea’s most influential players.
Having contributed to the team’s attacking threat throughout the match, he netted the crucial fourth goal as Brighton threatened to complete the comeback.
His ability to produce decisive moments is likely to remain at the heart of Chelsea’s ambitions this season.
Lavia and Neto also deserve credit for their contributions, while Joao Pedro scored against his former club before later being involved in an unfortunate own goal.
The attacking options available to Alonso are becoming one of the most encouraging aspects of his first term.
Brighton leave empty-handed
For Brighton, the defeat will be difficult to accept.
The visitors showed remarkable character by recovering from a 3-0 deficit and bringing the match to the brink of a draw.
The late goal gave them hope of completing a remarkable comeback, but in the end Chelsea held on.
Despite the defeat, Brighton’s second-half response demonstrated their resilience and attacking ambition.
The Seagulls will now look to bounce back from their first league defeat of the season and build on the positive aspects of their performance.
Chelsea march forward
Chelsea’s 4-3 win keeps Alonso’s perfect start intact and gives the Blues another three precious points.
The performance demonstrated the quality and attacking potential of the team, although the defensive errors that allowed Brighton to get back into the match will worry the manager.
For now, however, what matters most is the result.
Chelsea scored four goals, survived a spirited Brighton comeback and finally ended their losing streak against the Seagulls.
With Martinez at the start of his Chelsea career, Palmer continuing to deliver and Alonso maintaining his winning record, the Blues have made a strong early statement under their new manager.
The seven-goal thriller may have ended with Chelsea celebrating, but Brighton ensured they would be made to work for each of the three points.
