​Chelsea 4-3 Brighton: Palmer decides seven-goal thriller as Alonso's men stay perfect

Cole Palmer scored what proved to be the winner as Chelsea remained perfect in the Premier League under Xabi Alonso, beating Brighton 4-3 in a superb contest at Stamford Bridge.

It looked like being a routine outing for the Blues when Romeo Lavia, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro struck to put them 3-0 up inside 32 minutes.

But former Brighton striker Joao Pedro also scored at the wrong end following a sumptuous volley from Malick Yalcouye, as Brighton threatened a stunning comeback.

Palmer gave Chelsea breathing room once more when he found the bottom-left corner in trademark fashion, though, and Pascal Gross' header came too late for Brighton as the hosts made it two wins from two league games under Alonso.

Chelsea had only needed 31 seconds to make the breakthrough in their win over Fulham, and though they had to wait a little longer on Sunday, another fast start left Brighton stunned.

Lavia was on hand to tap home in the fourth minute after Mats Wieffer nodded Joao Pedro's header off the line, and only 10 minutes later, Neto met Morgan Rogers' left-sided centre with a first-time finish.

Joao Pedro – who was jeered by the away fans throughout – missed a glorious chance to make it 3-0 when he stroked wide with time and space inside the area, but he celebrated in front of his former supporters when he took in Jorrel Hato's pass and finished soon after.

Emiliano Martinez's first test in the Chelsea net was to catch Yalcouye's effort on the stretch, but his hopes of a clean sheet were dashed when the former Swansea City loanee hammered a volley in off the post, on the rebound from Charalampos Kostoulas' saved lob.

Huge chances came and went at both ends early in the second half. Diego Gomez headed wide after being left unmarked from Olivier Boscagli's free-kick, while Palmer could not keep his shot down when Rogers dug out a cross to find him in front of an unguarded net.

Brighton had renewed hope when Gross beat the offside trap following a recycled set-piece and crossed low, with a flick off Joao Pedro catching out Martinez, and the former Aston Villa goalkeeper then had to be alert to push Boscagli's drive to safety.

But Palmer eased Chelsea's nerves with a marauding run and finish in the 74th minute, and there was hardly time for the game to restart following Gross' late header.

Joao Pedro the centre of attention as Alonso's men entertain again

Playing their first home Premier League game under Alonso, Chelsea could hardly have asked for a better start.

Lavia's goal made them just the second team to begin a Premier League campaign by scoring in the opening four minutes of both of their first two matches, after Bolton Wanderers in 2002-03. That strike also came four years to the day since Lavia's only previous goal in the competition – which came against the Blues for Southampton.

But Brighton refused to go away without a fight, even after going 3-0 down. Joao Pedro was heavily involved at both ends, registering a goal, an assist and an own goal. 

He is only the sixth player to do so in a single Premier League game and the first since Son Heung-min against Manchester City in December 2023, while he is the first to ever do so for Chelsea.

But it was Palmer's cultured finish that proved decisive, and he has now netted six times against Brighton in the Premier League – more than he has against any other club.

And if they continue in this vein, Chelsea could lay claim to being the league's chief entertainers. 

Alonso is only the fourth boss to see his team score seven or more goals in his first two Premier League games, after Bobby Robson (eight in September 1999), Michael Laudrup (eight in August 2012), and Marcelo Bielsa (seven in September 2020).