Chelsea vs Brighton LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Blues hold on after Conor Gallagher red
Chelsea 3-2 Brighton: Enzo Fernandez scored twice as the 10-man hosts survived late pressure to claim three points
Chelsea played the entirety of the second half with 10 men as they clung on to defeat Brighton 3-2 after a tense finale at Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side were already two up thanks to headers from Enzo Fernandez and Levi Colwill when Conor Gallagher was shown a second yellow card for fouling Billy Gilmour in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Moments before Gallagher’s dismissal, Facundo Buonanotte had pulled Brighton back into it at 2-1 with swinging strike inside the post, and the stage looked set for a fightback by the visitors.
Instead, it was Chelsea that reasserted their charge, Fernandez converting from the spot midway through the second half after the excellent Mykhailo Mudryk had been fouled.
Joao Pedro came off the bench to head a goal back at the start of a lengthy period of added time, before Chelsea survived a penalty scare for a possible handball against Colwill with virtually the game’s final action.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
WHAT A SAVE! Straight from the restart, Chelsea want to restore their two-goal cushion and Mudryk surges down the left before sending his cross into the box. It deflects off Julio's trailing leg, and Steele is at full stretch to tip it away.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton have won a lot of similarly positioned free-kicks in midfield, but they haven't been able to take advantage of them. Buonanotte takes this one, but just like Gilmour before him, he can't pick out a team-mate in the area.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
WIDE! Mudryk gets away from Veltman with a lovely turn before bursting forward to the edge of the box. He has a quick glance up before fizzing a pacy low shot just wide of the far post.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea almost get over-confident playing out from the back, and Fernandez is caught on the ball inside his own box. He just about manages to poke it back to Sanchez, who gets lucky that his own pass out to Disasi isn't cut out by Lallana.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Lallana is a little sloppy with his first-time pass into Baleba, and Jackson is sniffing around him. The Chelsea forward threatens to break, but Baleba recovers well to stop him from getting over the halfway line.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea look like they want it more in midfield, and their high press is causing Brighton all sorts of problems. Fernandez turns possession over once more, only to overhit the throughball into Jackson.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Gallagher gives away another free-kick in midfield, and Gilmour lifts it long into the box once more. It's another comfortable clearance for Chelsea though, who look very at ease in this game.
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