Cole Palmer became the first player to score four first-half goals in a Premier League game as Chelsea swept away Brighton to go third in the table.
In a remarkably entertaining match, Palmer, 22, also hit the post and had a further goal ruled out before the break as Chelsea’s rapid frontline cashed in on Brighton’s stubborn insistence on playing a high defensive line.
Albion scored twice early on themselves as fans were treated at a sun-kissed Stamford Bridge, with both of their strikes owing something to errors from Chelsea’s former Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
But, after Georginio Rutter headed the visitors ahead, Palmer took a firm grasp of the game with a stunning individual display.
The England player had hit the post and put the ball in the net from an offside position before opening the scoring from Nicolas Jackson’s pass – with all three chances coming in the space of 138 breathless seconds.
Palmer then scored his 10th consecutive successful penalty for Chelsea after the impressive Jadon Sancho was brought down, before capping a 10-minute hat-trick with a brilliant 25-yard free kick into the top corner.
A fourth for Palmer, arrowed in from a Sancho pass, came soon after Carlos Baleba had seized on Sanchez’s poor ball out to give Brighton hope.
Chelsea, who put six past Wolves last month, were again superb going forwards but Brighton’s refusal to change their approach after such a flurry of identical chances was bizarre, bordering on naive as young manager Fabian Hurzeler tasted defeat for the first time.
Perhaps predictably the second half was far less incident-packed – although Palmer did waste a great chance for a fifth when he fired wide.
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