Cole Palmer continued his outstanding season with Chelsea by scoring a crucial goal to aid the Blues in their pursuit of European qualification with a victory against Brighton in the Premier League.
Palmer showcased his scoring prowess by netting his 22nd league goal of the season, rising to meet Marc Cucurella’s cross with a perfectly executed looping header into the far corner in the 34th minute.
The visitors doubled their lead 14 minutes into the second half, with Christopher Nkunku calmly slotting home Malo Gusto’s cutback.
Despite their dominance, Chelsea encountered a setback when substitute Reece James, making only his second appearance of the year after recovering from a long-term injury, received a straight red card for an altercation with Joao Pedro.
Our 100th goal of the season! 🔥#CFC | #BhaChe https://t.co/rjiWBJ7GV1
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 16, 2024
In the 97th minute, Danny Welbeck found the net to narrow the deficit for Brighton, tapping in a cross from Pedro. However, Chelsea managed to hold on for the win.
With this victory, Chelsea climbed to sixth place in the table, securing a spot in the Europa League for next season. They can confirm their place in European competition with a single point in their upcoming home fixture against Bournemouth on the final day of the season.
Meanwhile, Brighton suffered their seventh defeat in nine matches but maintain their position in 10th place in the league standings.