Chelsea edged past Brighton 4-3 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, recording their third win in a week and extending Xabi Alonso's 100 per cent start to his reign. The victory produced the Blues' best performance of the new campaign so far.
Clinical first-half display
Romeo Lavia bundled the ball over from close range to capitalise on a Bart Verbruggen mistake and open the scoring on four minutes. Pedro Neto tapped home the second ten minutes later, before Joao Pedro finished a clinical move for a third against his former employers.
Malick Yalcouye netted on his debut for the visitors after Emi Martinez thwarted Charalampos Kostoulas, and Joao Pedro put through his own net in the second period in a jittery spell for the hosts. Cole Palmer claimed his second goal of the campaign with a guided finish into the corner to restore the west Londoners' two-goal buffer and wrap up all three points with just over 15 minutes to play.
Player ratings
Emi Martinez 7: Calmness personified, and that rung true throughout the hosts' defence. Cheers met every involvement the Argentine had on debut, although he will be unhappy not to keep a clean sheet in front of his new fans.
Wesley Fofana 6: Steady down the right side and barely troubled by Ferdi Kadioglu and Maxim De Cuyper.
Maxence Lacroix 7: The sweeper, knitting it all together at the back. Alonso could confidently push his side higher up the field knowing that he had the Frenchman's recovery pace to bail him out.
Levi Colwill 7: Diego Gomez hardly had a sniff as the former Brighton loanee patrolled the left channel with poise and power. His ability to progress play either out wide or through the lines will see him as a mainstay in Alonso's defences this season.
Pedro Neto 7: Going forward, he was superb, using his natural attacking instinct to be a danger with his delivery and getting at Kadioglu, while his goalscoring knack was on show as he ghosted in to double the home side's advantage. He was skinned for the visitors' goal, however, showing that he still has plenty to learn if he is to master this new role.
Romeo Lavia 8: The midfield general. Broke up play, started attacks, turned over possession quickly, and fed the creators ahead of him. Add in his first ever goal in Chelsea blue, and it was a complete performance from the Belgian.
Malo Gusto 6: An interesting call from Alonso to trial the full-back in the engine room, particularly in the absence of Enzo Fernandez, while captain Reece James, summer signing Valentin Barco and £115m former Seagull Moises Caicedo warmed the bench. Plenty of industry, but ultimately outshone.
Jorrel Hato 7: Looks to have seized upon the opportunity bestowed on him after Marc Cucurella's departure. Guile and thrust from left wing-back, with plenty to like going forwards. Had the awareness to pick out Joao Pedro when sent through on goal, using his pace to burst away from the desperate Mats Wieffer.
Cole Palmer 7: Picked up the pockets and joined in neatly with interplay, but the England international was once again in danger of being kept quiet as his team-mates ran riot. His moment came, however, as he arrowed Chelsea's fourth into the corner to open his account for the campaign.
Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers star
Joao Pedro 9: He just keeps getting better and better. The silkiest of touches, and he demonstrated that he can do the dirty, donkey work, with Chelsea not afraid to pump it long and hit the No9 direct. He dropped deep, span in behind, linked play, and capped it all off with a goal. A slight blemish to an otherwise sparkling display as he put through his own net.
Morgan Rogers 8: Terrorised Wieffer down the left. Lively cutting inside onto his stronger right foot, he tested Verbruggen with a snapshot from the edge of the area, but showed his quality to create his side's second goal, bursting to the byline, holding off his man, and putting it on a plate for Neto to slot home.
Substitutes' impact
Josh Acheampong 6: Replaced Fofana on the right side of the back three and was steady as Hurzeler through the lightning quick Ibrahim Osman at him.
Reece James 7: Added an air of composure to the middle of the park as Chelsea suffered for an extended spell.
Moises Caicedo 6: Brought on to shore the home side up amid the Brighton barrage, but hobbled off injured in a short-lived cameo.
Pep Chavarria 6: Worked hard in the short time he had on the pitch, but lost Gomez a couple of times in key areas.
Valentin Barco: N/A
Unused subs: Penders, Gittens, Estevao, Welbeck.
