Player ratings as Palmer scores four in Stamford Bridge thriller

FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE – Chelsea continued their fine run of form with a breathless 4-2 win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Blues remain unbeaten in the Premier League since losing to Manchester City on the opening day of the season.

Cole Palmer scored four first-half goals to put the Seagulls to the sword on a fine Saturday in west London.

How the game unfolded

Within the first opening minutes, Brighton took the lead. The hosts failed to deal with a Pervis Estupinan cross, with Carlos Baleba blocking Levi Colwill’s clearance, and Georginio Rutter beat goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to the loose high ball, heading into an empty net.

Chelsea’s first opportunity came midway through the first half when Enzo Fernandez picked out Palmer’s run in behind, but with only Bart Verbruggen to beat, he rolled a shot off the post.

He had the ball in the net with his next chance from another Fernandez pass, but he was well offside and the goal was quickly ruled out.

But it was third time lucky for Palmer with Chelsea’s next attack. Adam Webster horribly under-hit a pass back to Verbruggen which was pounced upon by Nicolas Jackson, and he squared for the Blues’ number 20 to finish.

Brighton were drowning under pressure from Chelsea, who again thought they’d scored when Noni Madueke raced beyond the last line and teed up Jadon Sancho for an easy finish. The offside flag went up to deny the winger, and this decision was confirmed after a fairly lengthy VAR check.

Chelsea were awarded a penalty moments later when Sancho fell between the bodies of Rutter and Baleba. Palmer stepped up and sent Verbruggen the wrong way to put the hosts ahead.

Palmer had his hat-trick on the half-hour mark in sensational fashion, putting a free-kick from 25 yards right into the top corner.

Brighton should have pulled one back when Mats Wieffer rolled an effort from close range wide, but they got their reward from the resulting goal kick when Sanchez gifted the ball for Baleba to convert from close range.

From kick-off, Baleba brought a top save out of Sanchez with a barnstorming strike from distance as the tetchy mood around Stamford Bridge set back in.

Palmer whipped a delicious long ball over the top for Madueke to latch onto, and he sat down Webster before firing wide.

There was still time before the break for Palmer to grab his fourth goal, making an underlapping run inside of Sancho and then converting at the near post. With this, he became the first player in Premier League history to score four…