After a disappointing start to the season, Chelsea have finally fulfilled some of their potential in recent months, coming into this clash having lost just one of their previous 13 Premier League matches.
As such, they have put themselves in the race for Europa League football, qualification for which represents undoubted progress under Pochettino. Brighton, meanwhile, are already unable to make it back-to-back European campaigns but were eager to give their supporters something to cheer in their final home match of the season.
The first half was action-packed, with just three minutes needed for Noni Madueke to test Bart Verbruggen with the game’s first shot on target. The teams then traded efforts, as Simon Adingra shot wide before Palmer’s effort from outside the area was comfortably saved.
The Seagulls enjoyed a spell of possession before their opponents struck in clinical fashion through Palmer, the recently-crowned Chelsea Player of the Year. He had plenty to do when Marc Cucurella fired a cutback towards him at head height, but he stooped low to direct a marvellous header beyond Verbruggen’s outstretched fingertips.
Later on in the half, VAR was under scrutiny as Tariq Lamptey looked to have deliberately elbowed Mykhaylo Mudryk in the head - a collision that forced the Ukrainian off the field. On this occasion, Stockley Park chose not to intervene, and the former Chelsea full-back escaped.
In the ninth minute of injury time, João Pedro struck the bar with a header to remind the visitors of his threat, with Nicolas Jackson having had a goal ruled out for a combination of offside and a push on Lamptey shortly prior.
In the opening stages of an open second half, Chelsea contrived to waste as many golden openings as possible, with Jackson the main culprit as he failed to provide the killer pass on a couple of occasions.
Brighton responded by pushing forward themselves, and Pascal Gross fired wide from just a few yards out. Ultimately, Pochettino’s men did find a second goal, as Frenchmen Malo Gusto and Nkunku combined - the former’s low ball was slotted first time into the bottom corner by the latter for his third strike of an injury-hit season.
The hosts pushed forward in an attempt to stage a comeback, and after substitute and Chelsea captain Reece James received a deserved red card for a petulant kick out at Joao Pedro and Ansu Fati hit the post in stoppage time, Danny Welbeck tapped in from inside the six-yard box.
That gave Roberto Di Zerbi’s outfit hope, but it was in vain as Chelsea held on.
The Blues are now up to sixth in the table following Newcastle United’s loss to Manchester United and are still in with a chance of catching Tottenham Hotspur in fifth. Brighton, meanwhile, are clinging on to their top-half position after winning just two of their previous 12 top-flight fixtures.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea)
