Cole Palmer shone as Chelsea came from behind to beat Brighton 4-2 on a record setting day for the Blues attacker.
Georginio Rutter had opened the scoring for Brighton inside 10 minutes but Palmer pegged the Seagulls back in 21st minute with his first of what would be four goals.
Palmer than gave his side the lead from the penalty spot, before wrapping up his hat trick with a stunning free kick.
Carlos Baleba pounced on a Robert Sanchez mistake to put Brighton back in the tie, but a fourth from Cole Palmer in the first-half was enough to see Chelsea over the line.
The result see Chelsea in third place, just one point of first placed Manchester City while Brighton are eighth.
Georginio Rutter had given Brighton the lead with a header inside 10 minutes
Cole Palmer completed his hat trick with a sumptuous free-kick to give Chelsea a 3-1 lead
Carlos Baleba pulled one back for Brighton but it turned out to be a consolation
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1)
Robert Sanchez – 4
Two clangers gifted Brighton their first-half goals. First, he foolishly abandoned his line to try to punch clear. Then, he balls’d up passing out from the back.
Malo Gusto – 6
Never easy when you have Mitoma running at you, and the Brighton winger tried to buy a cheap penalty off him, but good to see him return to right back after overcoming his injury.
Wesley Fofana – 5.5
Managed to clear when Brighton hoped to bag a tap-in to double their lead, but this wasn’t a game for bragging about anything defensive. There was little defending going on, in truth.
Robert Sanchez endured a difficult day in goal for Chelsea as he was at fault for both of Brighton’s goals
Levi Colwill – 5.5
Attempt at a clearance was blocked by Baleba, which played a big part in Brighton’s opener. Thankfully for Chelsea’s defenders, the forwards made sure they outscored the opposition.
Marc Cucurella – 6.5
Wiped out when trying to stop Rutter from heading home. How he would have loved his goal to stand after being targeted by the Brighton fans who still haven’t forgiven him for how he left.
Moises Caicedo – 7
Nobody in the Premier League had won more tackles than Caicedo heading into this weekend and while this became a scrappy contest in the middle, he continued that trend.
Enzo Fernandez – 7.5
Played nice passes in behind into the space for Palmer and Co to run on to. That included the one which led to the penalty so that Chelsea could take the lead.
Noni Madueke – 7.5
Forever a threat down the right, and unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet himself for the bursts he made in behind, sometimes unselfishly trying to set up others like Sancho.
There aren’t many more superlatives to describe that Cole Palmer performance as he sparkled against Brighton
Jadon Sancho had another impressive outing since making his move to Chelsea
Cole Palmer – 9.5
Simply extraordinary. The first-ever Premier League player to score four goals before half-time, the best of his quadruple being the free-kick from nearly 30 yards that sailed into the top-right corner.
Jadon Sancho – 8
Had a goal disallowed after 22 minutes for offside but was a constant source of creativity down the left, winning the penalty after Baleba clumsily brought him down.
Nicolas Jackson – 6.5
Jackson teed up Palmer for his first goal after he had hoped to score the one-on-one. Really should have scored for himself in the second half after umpteen chances.
SUBS
Pedro Neto (for Madueke, 63) – 6
Renato Veiga (for Cucurella, 70) – 6
Mykhailo Mudryk (for Sancho, 71) – 6
Christopher Nkunku (for Jackson 79) – N/A
Romeo Lavia (for Fernandez, 79) – N/A
Enzo Maresca will be very thankful to have Cole Palmer in his ranks after the attacker’s performance today
MANAGER
Enzo Maresca – 6.5
Chelsea got there in the end. Thank goodness they have Palmer.
BRIGHTON (4-3-3)
Bart Verbruggen – 4
What else can you say when for the first time in Premier League history, a player scores four goals against you before half-time? Verburggen was tormented by Palmer.
Ferdi Kadioglu – 4.5
He tried to get himself forward down the flank, but when he did so, he was often tracked by Sancho as Chelsea’s wingers refused to leave Brighton’s full backs on their own.
Adam Webster – 4
Gifted Chelsea a way back into the game with a lame back pass that led to it becoming 1-1. At least he stopped it from becoming 5-2 with a sensational goal-line clearance to deny Jackson.
Lewis Dunk – 4.5
Brighton’s high line was here for the taking, with Chelsea constantly playing passes in behind. Dunk will be sick of the sight of the back of Jackson’s shirt, having chased him so many times.
It was a difficult day for all of Brighton’s defenders as they were tormented by the attacking threat of Cole Palmer
Pervis Estupinan – 4.5
Fortunate to avoid a red card when he brought down Madueke to prevent him from getting one-on-one with Verbruggen. Palmer punished Brighton anyway by scoring that free-kick.
Mats Wieffer – 4.5
Not the only one who was disappointing in and out of possession, as a manic match passed him by until he was substituted after 57 minutes of madness from both teams.
Carlos Baleba – 6
Credited with an assist for Brighton’s opening goal after blocking Colwill’s clearance, and scored their second after Sanchez made a mess of trying to play out from the back.
Jack Hinshelwood – 5
Had a chance to get a goal back at 3-1 but sent it wide when he tried to side-foot the ball into the far corner. Versatility saw him used in more than one position.
Georginio Rutter – 6
Leaped higher than anyone to head home for 1-0, barely believing his luck at how Sanchez had abandoned his goal line to come to try to claim the dropping ball.
Danny Welbeck – 5
Made himself a nuisance in Brighton’s attack at times as one cross nearly led to a Colwill own goal, only for it to be prevented by Sanchez and cleared by Fofana.
Kaoru Mitoma – 5
Constantly drove at Gusto, including in the build-up to Brighton’s opener. Dropped down in the hope of winning a penalty against Gusto but referee wasn’t having it.
Fabian Hurzeler found his side’s high line exploited by a thrilling Chelsea attack as he suffered his first lost as Brighton manager
SUBS
Igor Julio (for Webster, 57) – 5.5
Yasin Ayari (for Wieffer, 57) – 5.5
Julio Enciso (for Rutter, 71) – 6
Yankuba Minteh (for Kadioglu, 71) – 6
Evan Ferguson (for Welbeck, 81) – N/A
MANAGER
Fabian Hurzeler – 5
His first defeat as Brighton manager. His high defensive line was totally exploited here.
REFEREE
Peter Bankes – 6
Awarded Chelsea a penalty, but did not do the same for Brighton. While the visiting support were furious about that, both were correct in my book.
