Chelsea Edge Brighton in Seven-Goal Thriller as Alonso Seeks Control
Chelsea survived a late scare to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-3 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, maintaining their winning start under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The hosts raced into a three-goal lead after Romeo Lavia, Pedro Neto and João Pedro found the net, leaving Brighton struggling to cope with Chelsea’s attacking intensity.
Brighton, however, refused to fold. Malick Yalcouyé pulled one back before João Pedro’s own goal reduced Chelsea’s advantage further and raised hopes of a remarkable comeback.
Cole Palmer eventually restored Chelsea’s two-goal cushion in the 74th minute with a fine finish after cutting inside, but Pascal Gross scored deep into stoppage time to set up a tense finish.
Although Chelsea secured all three points, the performance exposed some of the weaknesses that Alonso must address if his side are to mount a serious title challenge.
The Spanish manager appeared increasingly frustrated as Chelsea surrendered control after their explosive opening and allowed Brighton to dictate the momentum during the second half.
Chelsea have now conceded five goals in their opening two league matches, a record that will concern Alonso despite the attacking quality displayed by his team.
Palmer, Morgan Rogers and João Pedro showed promising chemistry in attack, giving supporters plenty to admire, but Brighton’s fightback highlighted the need for greater defensive discipline.
Emiliano Martínez, making his Chelsea debut after his £7.5 million move from Aston Villa, produced a solid display but could not prevent Brighton from scoring three times.
The victory keeps Alonso’s early reign unbeaten, but Chelsea’s erratic display suggests there is still considerable work to do before they can be regarded as genuine title contenders.
