Chelsea survived a red card and late scare to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 on Wednesday evening. Goals from Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku put the Seagulls to the sword, but Danny Welbeck threatened a comeback.
Chelsea have now won four Premier League games on the bounce and look on course for a top-six finish. Brighton are now at risk of finishing the season in the bottom-half of the table unless they win their last game.
Goals either side of half-time did the damage
Chelsea took the lead in the 34th minute through Cole Palmer and it was a brilliant goal to open the scoring. Marc Cucurella was freed down the left flank by Conor Gallagher and whipped a cross that Palmer glanced in. Palmer was on the run and beat his opposite marker to the ball, aiming his header into the far corner.
Chelsea could have doubled their lead when Nicolas Jackson was picked out in the penalty area, but he missed the target from close range. Palmer whipped in a low cross, but Jackson couldn’t convert the effort. Chelsea went into the break with a narrow lead nevertheless.
Reece James meltdown dampened the result
Brighton posed a threat in the first half and had a good chance to equalise in the second. Pascal Gross somehow missed the target from close range after being picked out by a cross from the right flank. Chelsea would punish Brighton for the miss too, doubling their lead in the 64th minute through Nkunku.
Malo Gusto was picked out down the right flank and cut the ball back for Nkunku who side-footed home. The game nearly turned, however, when Reece James came off the bench only to be red-carded late on. James was brought on in the 69th minute but was sent off for violent conduct in the 88th minute.
Brighton would then halve the deficit through Welbeck after hitting the woodwork minutes before. Welbeck converted a low cross at the near post to make it 2-1 at the death, but Chelsea held on.
