Chelsea survived a seven-goal thriller to beat Brighton 4-3 in a breathless Premier League encounter that swung repeatedly before the visitors held on. Early goals from Romeo Lavia and Pedro Neto set the tone for an open, end-to-end contest.
Cole Palmer extended the advantage to make it 4-2, appearing to put the result beyond doubt, before Pascal Gross struck late to pull Brighton within a goal at 4-3.
The match exposed defensive frailties that manager Enzo Maresca will be keen to address, as his side conceded three times despite controlling long stretches of play.
For Brighton, the narrow defeat will sting given how close they came to snatching a point, having repeatedly found ways back into the game.
For European football followers, the Premier League’s early drama reaffirms its status as the most watched league on the continent.
