The Blues blew a three-goal lead before Cole Palmer’s late strike secured a thrilling victory at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea maintained their perfect start under manager Xabi Alonso with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The win gives Alonso two Premier League victories from two matches, following the Blues’ 3-2 win over Fulham.
Romeo Lavia opened the scoring in the fourth minute with his first Chelsea goal since joining the club from Southampton in 2023. Pedro Neto doubled the lead in the 14th minute before former Brighton forward João Pedro made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute.
Brighton responded through Malick Yalcouyé before half-time, while João Pedro’s own goal in the 63rd minute reduced Chelsea’s advantage to 3-2.
Cole Palmer restored Chelsea’s two-goal cushion with a fine finish in the 74th minute, but Pascal Gross scored in stoppage time to set up a tense finale. Chelsea held on for all three points.
The result highlights Chelsea’s attacking improvement under Alonso, with the club scoring seven goals in their opening two Premier League games. However, conceding five goals in those matches shows that defensive solidity remains a concern.
New goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made his Chelsea debut after completing his move from Aston Villa and made several important saves despite conceding three goals.
Chelsea’s next Premier League test comes against Arsenal on September 6, a fixture that will provide a tougher assessment of Alonso’s rebuilding project.