Cole Palmer’s brilliant season with Chelsea continued as his goal helped the Blues boost their European qualification hopes with a win at Brighton in the Premier League.
Palmer netted his 22nd league strike of the season, meeting Marc Cucurella’s cross with a looping header into the far corner in the 34th minute.
And the visitors added a second 14 minutes after the restart when Christopher Nkunku coolly dispatched Malo Gusto’s cutback.
Having been so dominant Chelsea gifted Brighton a way back into the game when substitute Reece James – playing just his second match in 2024 after coming back from a long-term injury – was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Joao Pedro.
In the 97th-minute Danny Welbeck netted to halve the deficit, tapping in a Pedro cross, but the visitors held on.
Chelsea moved up to sixth in the table and currently sit in a Europa League spot.
They will guarantee a place in Europe next season if they claim a point at home to Bournemouth on the final day.
Brighton fell to a seventh defeat in ninth matches but remain in 10th place.
Palmer shines but Chelsea almost throw win away
Palmer is one of the signings of the season. Before he joined Chelsea from Manchester City in the summer, the 22-year-old had never scored in the top flight.
In this campaign he has managed 22 goals and 10 assists in 33 league games.
Palmer’s side had the better of the first half and were given an early penalty when referee Michael Salisbury adjudged Facundo Buonanotte to have fouled Cucurella in the penalty area.
That call was eventually overturned after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) advised Salisbury to look at the pitchside monitor.
And VAR was called into action again towards the end of the first half to uphold Salisbury’s decision to disallow a Nicolas Jackson headed finish, after the Chelsea striker pushed Tariq Lamptey in the build-up.
Palmer, though, once again shone in an eventful game that was sparked into life when James reacted to a Pedro tackle and caught the Brighton striker’s leg with his studs.
But Chelsea managed to hold on, scraping a fourth consecutive win for the first time since 2022.
With a three-point gap to Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino’s side could even finish the season as high as fifth if results fall their way on Sunday.
It would mark an incredible recovery as the Blues were ninth in the league and 13 points behind Spurs when they lost 5-0 to Arsenal last month.
Too little too late for Brighton
Brighton have recorded just three wins since the start of March and have now tasted victory in just one of their past nine matches.
With 10 minutes remaining a point seemed out of the question.
But the Seagulls finished strongly with Simon Adingra striking the inside of the post moments before Welbeck’s consolation goal.
The hosts also had a handful of chances to equalise when they were one goal down.
Pedro hit the bar with a thumping header just before half-time, while Pascal Gross flicked an effort narrowly wide after the restart.
Brighton also had a penalty shout of their own early in the second half when Gusto appeared to catch Adingra, but referee Salisbury waved play on.
The Seagulls end their season at home to Manchester United on Sunday.
