Cole Palmer scored four first-half goals in a 20-minute span, making Premier League history as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-2 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday
Palmer became the first player in Premier League history to score four times in one half, and the 4-1-1 Blues overcame a pair of Robert Sanchez errors that led to goals from Georginio Rutter and Carlos Baleba.
Chelsea hadn’t allowed a goal in 314 minutes across all competitions, including Premier League clean sheets at Bournemouth and West Ham prior to a midweek 5-0 League Cup win over over League Two visitors Barrow, when Rutter made it 1-0 in the seventh minute.
Brighton have been very good this season, especially in open play but Chelsea ripped through their high line as Jadon Sancho and Nicolas Jackson starred with Palmer in attack.
The Seagulls slip to eighth with nine points.
Chelsea flash high potential
Chelsea’s collective foot was down on the gas pedal early as attackers Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, and Cole Palmer roared forward against a Brighton team who wanted to do the same. Robert Sanchez’s pair of gaffes at the back made the score line closer than it should’ve been, because Enzo Maresca almost certainly has his best front four and it’s a unit that looks capable of delivering chance after chance. The Blues recorded four “big chances missed” according to fotmob from a game they scored four times. Do the math there, and look at Palmer’s history-making stats below. If Chelsea can keep piling up chances, the sky really feels the limit because their depth in attack is insane with Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku, and Pedro Neto among the options off the bench (or starting in other competitions, with the Conference League opening up on Thursday).
Cole Palmer game stats from Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (from fotmob.com)
Cole Palmer game stats from Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (from fotmob.com)
Chelsea vs Brighton player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Chelsea vs Brighton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Chelsea vs Brighton player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Chelsea host Gent on Thursday in Conference League action, then welcome Nottingham Forest at 9am ET Sunday, Oct. 6.
Brighton host Tottenham at 11:30am on Sunday, Oct. 6.
How to watch Chelsea vs Brighton live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday
Venue: Stamford Bridge
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Streaming: Premier League on Peacock
Chelsea vs Brighton live updates — By Nick Mendola
Chelsea vs Brighton final score: 4-2
Georginio Rutter 7'; Cole Palmer 21', pen 28', 31', 41'; Carlos Baleba 34'
Chelsea could have eight on another day
Marc Cucurella subs off after scoring a soon-disallowed fantastic goal, as Chelsea have been dominant in the second half without adding to their haul.
Jadon Sancho also comes off, as Renato Veiga and a newly-shorn Mykhailo Mudryk enter the fray. Still 4-2.
WATCH: Palmer’s Premier League record four first-half goals
Catch up on his big day including a spectacular free kick, here.
Huge save by Sanchez
The ex-Brighton keeper begins to make amends for a brutal half, as this should be a clean sheet.
A well-hit low ball looks destined for the far post but Sanchez gets low to make a magnificent right paw save.
Four goals in the first half for Palmer! Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (41st minute)
Verbruggen makes an awful pass.
Enzo Fernandez gets it to Jadon Sancho, who slides in Palmer for a tidy finish and a fourth goal of the first half for both Chelsea and their talisman.
4-2, 41'.
Carlos Baleba goal! Chelsea 3-2 Brighton (34th minute)
Absolute madness at Stamford Bridge.
It’s a dreadful first half for Sanchez, who basically assists his former club to bring Brighton within one through Baleba.
Noni Madueke has a chance to restore the two-goal lead, as Chelsea is ravaging Brighton’s back line, but he his the outside of the post.
Palmer hat trick! Chelsea 3-1 Brighton (31st minute)
Pervis Estupinan hauls down Noni Madueke and he’s fortunate a recovering Adam Webster makes it a yellow card and not a red.
Enzo Fernandez also saw a yellow for immediately and loudly protesting in favor of a red.
The free kick is presided over by Palmer and Malo Gusto. Palmer hits a left-footed laser into the upper 90.
Chelsea 3-1, 31'.
Jadon Sancho wins penalty, Palmer converts. Chelsea 2-1 Brighton (28th minute)
Sancho is playing so, so well, and he’s cooked his mark and been hacked down in the box.
Cole Palmer goes to the spot, and bags himself a brace.
2-1 Chelsea, 28'
Cole Palmer goal! Chelsea 1-1 Brighton (21st minute)
Oh, it’s an awful touch from Adam Webster.
Nicolas Jackson is on the loose ball in a hurry, and draws out Verbruggen before cutting back to Palmer.
This time his goal will stand.
Jadon Sancho scores a second later but is offside. Brighton are teetering.
Cole Palmer comes so close, then scores but is offside
The Chelsea attack ringleader is slipped toward goal by Enzo Fernandez.
Palmer dinks the ball over Bart Verbruggen, who gets the smallest touch to put the ball off the post.
Now Palmer and Jackson are 2v0 with Verbruggen and the youngster scores, but is offside in the 20th minute.
Messy from Blues! Chelsea 0-1 Brighton (7th minute)
Kaoru Mitoma slips Brighton into a dangerous place and Chelsea make a meal of the clearance.
The ball pops up into the air and Robert Sanchez comes for it. Georginio Rutter’s header is nice but takes advantage of a yawning cage.
1-0 Brighton, and Rutter needs medical attention. We’ll see if he plays on.
Chelsea lineup
Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Jackson.
Brighton lineup
Verbruggen, Wieffer, Webster, Estupinan, Dunk, Baleba, Mitoma, Hinshelwood, Kadioglu, Rutter, Welbeck
Chelsea focus, team news
Ex-Seagulls have been key to Chelsea’s resurgence, as Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez, and Moises Caicedo have all done well this early season. Nicolas Jackson is flying atop the Chelsea attack and he’s being fed by any number of playmakers including newfound bright spark Jadon Sancho.
OUT: Reece James (thigh), Omari Kellyman (thigh) | QUESTIONABLE: Romeo Lavia (thigh)
Brighton & Hove Albion focus, team news
Brighton’s top attackers have been Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck, plus Joao Pedro when healthy. With Pedro out, Welbeck will have to keep up this season’s fantastic renaissance.
OUT: Solly March (knee), James Milner (thigh), Matthew O’Riley (ankle), Joao Pedro (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Brajan Gruda (other)
Chelsea vs Brighton prediction
It would be a really nice statement for Chelsea to beat Brighton at Stamford Bridge, as Enzo Maresca’s project would give off the feel of normalcy. It wasn’t long ago that the Blues were expected to handle Brighton on any given day. Can Maresca’s men deliver a performance like that? Chelsea 2-1 Brighton.