Chelsea’s Cole Palmer made history by scoring four goals in the first half, leading his team to a 4-2 victory against Brighton on Saturday. The win saw Chelsea climb to third place in the Premier League standings, while Brighton suffered their first defeat under new manager Fabian Hurzeler.
Brighton started the match strong, capitalizing on Chelsea’s early defensive mistakes. Georginio Rutter headed in the opening goal for Brighton, giving them an early lead and putting pressure on Chelsea. However, this advantage didn’t last long, as Palmer soon took control of the game, marking one of the most remarkable individual performances in Premier League history.
Cole Palmer became the first player in Premier League history to score four goals in the first half of a match. His first goal came when he converted a pass from Nicolas Jackson to equalize for Chelsea. Soon after, he scored his second goal from the penalty spot with great composure. Palmer’s third goal was a beautifully curled free-kick that left Brighton’s goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen, with no chance.
Brighton tried to mount a comeback when Carlos Baleba took advantage of a mistake by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, bringing the score to 3-2. Despite this, Palmer was not done. Just before halftime, he added his fourth goal, blasting the ball past Verbruggen at the near post, solidifying Chelsea’s dominance.
The second half of the match was less eventful, with neither team adding to the scoreline. Despite a few more opportunities for Chelsea, including Palmer hitting the post and having another goal ruled out, the score remained 4-2.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised Palmer after the match, saying, “I know Cole Palmer from many years ago, I had him at Manchester City in the under-23s… The best thing is the way he is as a human is the same way. This doesn’t change his life and that is the best thing for him.”
Maresca also highlighted Palmer’s ambition and hunger for more goals, acknowledging that Palmer could have easily scored more during the match.
With this win, Chelsea continues their impressive form, having taken 13 points from a possible 15 since their opening loss to Manchester City. The team’s early-season success has exceeded the expectations of many, with Maresca emphasizing the focus on the team’s progression rather than just results. “We are ahead in my expectation in the way we want to play,” Maresca added.
