Chelsea made it two Premier League wins from two under Xabi Alonso by outlasting Brighton & Hove Albion in a 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The home side flew out of the blocks and were 2-0 up inside 14 minutes, with Alonso\u2019s 3-4-2-1 once again stretching opponents across the pitch. The shape recalled the Antonio Conte era in its ability to overload wide areas, as Morgan Rogers drove forward from the left and Pedro Neto arrived from wingback on the opposite side to finish the move.<\/p>\n
Chelsea could have added a third before the interval, but Jo\u00e3o Pedro wasted one clear opening before quickly making amends. Jorrel Hato then surged from deep on the left and cut the ball back for a straightforward finish.<\/p>\n
Brighton responded before half-time through Malick Yalcouy\u00e9, who struck a powerful rebound volley in off the post after Emiliano Mart\u00ednez saved at the feet of Charalampos Kostoulas. The visitors carried that momentum into the second period and went close again when Diego G\u00f3mez headed wide from a free-kick delivery.<\/p>\n
Brighton did pull another goal back from a short-corner routine, with the final touch going in off Pedro, and later forced Mart\u00ednez into a key save as they chased level terms. Chelsea steadied themselves, though, and Cole Palmer restored the cushion with a curling left-footed strike from distance after being set up by Jo\u00e3o Pedro\u2019s hold-up play.<\/p>\n
There was still time for one more Brighton response, as Pascal Gro\u1e9e scored from a set piece in stoppage time, but Chelsea held on.<\/p>\n
A concern for the home side was Mois\u00e9s Caicedo, who returned from a preseason injury but had to go off 14 minutes after coming on. Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s continued absence also remained notable, after Alonso again opted against including him in the squad.<\/p>\n
Rom\u00e9o Lavia\u2019s strong start continued, and his role alongside the available midfield options suggests Chelsea are finding balance without Fern\u00e1ndez. With no European competition this season, the squad\u2019s structure looks workable, even if injury issues linger.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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