Chelsea 4-2 Brighton: Palmer nets 4 & sets new record in Blues triumph

Cole Palmer made Premier League history as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-2 in a six-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge.

Match Report

Palmer became the first player to score four goals before half-time in a single Premier League game, helping Enzo Maresca’s side record their fourth straight victory in all competitions.

Brighton took an early lead through Georginio Rutter's header, but were powerless as Palmer took command of the contest.

His remarkable quadruple came in the space of 20 minutes - including a penalty and free-kick - with Carlos Baleba's strike to make it 3-2 swiftly cancelled out by Chelsea's talisman.

Nicolas Jackson and Palmer went close after the break for the hosts, who also had a Marc Cucurella goal disallowed for offside, but they held out for another victory.

The Blues climb to third place, a point behind leaders Manchester City and Arsenal, while Brighton drop to eighth after suffering their first defeat of the season.

Data Debrief: History-making Palmer does the damage once more

Palmer completed his third Premier League hat-trick - the joint-most by any Chelsea player along with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard - in the space of only nine minutes and 45 seconds.

The Blues forward also hit the post, was denied by the offside flag and then slotted a decent opportunity wide after the break, so we could have been saluting the first player to score six or more goals in a single Premier League game.

His fourth goal was set up by Sancho, who became the third Chelsea player after Eden Hazard (2012) and Cesc Fabregas (2014) to provide an assist in each of his first three Premier League appearances.

As for Brighton, they are now without a victory in each of their last nine Premier League visits to London, since a 3-0 win over Arsenal in May 2023.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

7' Rutter gives visitors the lead as Sanchez mistakes! Chelsea 0-1 Brighton

15' Attempt stopped! Welbeck's pass saved by Sanchez

19' Match Event for Chelsea vs Brighton

21' Palmer equalizes for Blues as Jackson assists! Chelsea 1-1 Brighton

23' Sancho's goal disallowed as Madueke is offside

28' Two for Palmer as he scores penalty! Chelsea 2-1 Brighton

30' Estupinan booked yellow

31' Hat trick! Palmer nets stunning free kick to extend lead! Chelsea 3-1 Brighton

34' Sanchez mistakes again! Baleba scores! Chelsea 3-2 Brighton

41' 4 goal thriller for Palmer as Sancho assists! Chelsea 4-2 Brighton

44' GREAT SAVE! Sanchez denies Brighton's shot in the box

49' Jackson misses great chance as his shot cleared by Webster

52' Palmer's long shot wide out

56' Brighton's mistake not seized by Palmer as his shot wide out

65' Ayari down in the box but no penalty

69' OFFSIDE! Cucurella's goal is disallowed

76' Jackson's right footed shot in the box wide out

93' Highlight from Chelsea vs Brighton

Line-ups

Chelsea XI: Marc Cucurella, Sancho, Robert Sánchez, Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana, Noni Madueke, Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Nicolas Jackson

Subs: T.Adarabioyo, Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Felix, Pedro Neto, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Filip Jørgensen, Roméo Lavia, Renato Veiga

Brighton XI: Webster, Welbeck, Dunk, Pervis Estupiñán, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Kaoru Mitoma, Georginio Rutter, Mats Wieffer, Bart Verbruggen, Carlos Baleba, Jack Hinshelwood

Subs: Steele, Igor, Jakub Moder, Tariq Lamptey, Julio Enciso, Evan Ferguson, Imari Samuels, Yasin Ayari, Yankuba Minteh