Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (Palmer 21′, 28′ pen, 31′, 41′ | Rutter 7′, Baleba 34′)
Cole Palmer made history with four first-half goals as Chelsea ran out 4-2 winners over Brighton in the Premier League.
All six goals were scored in a chaotic opening 45 minutes littered with mistakes as Palmer became the first Premier League player ever to score four before half-time.
The win lifts Chelsea into third in the Premier League, behind leaders Manchester City – who drew at Newcastle earlier on Saturday – and Arsenal, who needed two late goals to beat Leicester 4-2.
Chelsea’s afternoon got off to a shocker when Levi Colwill’s deflected clearance resulted in Georginio Rutter heading in ahead of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who rushed out to no avail.
That early double error was quickly amended, however, as Brighton’s high line gifted Chelsea opportunity after opportunity, and it was then a mistake from Adam Webster that led to Nicolas Jackson unselfishly assisting for Palmer’s first.
Ten minutes later, Palmer already had a hat-trick, with a typically cool penalty followed by a terrific free-kick that Bart Verbruggen could only get a hand to.
In a match reminiscent of Chelsea’s wild match against Tottenham last season, it was then another error at the back from the Blues that allowed Brighton back into it.
Sanchez’s sloppy pass out was seized upon and Brighton were sarcastically serenading their former goalkeeper again after Carlos Baleba reduced the deficit.
Palmer though restored the two-goal advantage in the 41st minute, with Jadon Sancho picking out his teammate for fine fourth.
The second half began with promise of further goals, but after Marc Cucurella saw a goal ruled out for offside against his old club, changes from both sides stemmed the pace of this ferocious game for a goalless second half to follow the fruitful first.
