Chelsea maintained their unbeaten start under new head coach Xabi Alonso, holding off a spirited Brighton fightback to win 4-3 at Stamford Bridge in a match that swung wildly from one end to the other. The victory marked Chelsea's third win in as many games since Alonso took charge, and by the club's own reckoning it was their most complete display of the young season, even if the closing stages proved nervier than expected.
The hosts made a flying start, taking the lead inside four minutes when Romeo Lavia pounced after goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen failed to deal cleanly with a corner, poking the ball home from close range for his first goal in Chelsea colours. Ten minutes later Chelsea doubled their advantage through Pedro Neto, who tapped in after Morgan Rogers powered down the left, held off his marker and squared the ball across goal. Rogers was a persistent threat throughout the afternoon, repeatedly troubling Brighton's right side.
Joao Pedro then turned home a slick team move to make it 3-0 against his former club, continuing an impressive run of form that has seen him grow into one of Chelsea's most reliable attacking outlets. His clever touches and willingness to drop deep and link play were a feature of the win, even though he later put through his own net during a Brighton rally.
Brighton, who had looked shaky at the back for much of the first half, found a route back into the contest through teenage debutant Malick Yalcouye, who fired home a well-struck first-time volley off the post to register his maiden senior goal. Emiliano Martinez, making his first appearance since joining Chelsea, had earlier denied Charalampos Kostoulas and made a string of saves as Brighton pushed for parity, though he could do little about Yalcouye's strike or a late finish from Pascal Gross that made things uncomfortable for the hosts.
Chelsea managed to restore a two-goal cushion when Cole Palmer, who had been relatively quiet by his usual standards, curled a composed finish into the corner in the 75th minute to record his second goal of the campaign and effectively settle the contest. Gross's stoppage-time strike for Brighton proved to be only a consolation as Chelsea held on for all three points.
Alonso's side showed defensive solidity for long periods, with Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana both praised for their composure, while Jorrel Hato impressed at wing-back, setting up the second goal with a driving run and showing the attacking instincts that have made him a talking point since replacing the departed Marc Cucurella. Malo Gusto was deployed unusually in midfield in the absence of Enzo Fernandez, offering steady if unspectacular industry.
Chelsea's afternoon was not without its concerns, however, as Moises Caicedo was forced off in tears just 11 minutes after coming on as a substitute, raising fears over a potential injury for the summer's marquee signing. Brighton, for their part, could take some encouragement from Yalcouye's introduction and Diego Gomez's persistent threat going forward, though a disjointed defensive display ultimately cost them any chance of taking something from the game.
With three wins from three, Alonso's start at Stamford Bridge continues to build momentum, and performances such as this suggest Chelsea's new-look squad is beginning to gel both defensively and going forward, even if question marks remain over their ability to see out matches comfortably.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport and BBC Sport.