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
Ten-man Chelsea hold on to get a vital home win as they beat Brighton 3-2. The Blues made a perfect start to the game, with two corners causing Brighton all sorts of problems. Fernandez headed in his first Premier League goal from the first, while Colwill thumped in his first Chelsea goal to double their lead. Their lead was halved just before the break, with Buonanotte curling in a wonderful strike before Gallagher received his second yellow card. Fernandez got his second of the game in the 65th minute from the spot after Milner fouled Mudryk, and it took Brighton until stoppage time to pull back another goal, with Pedro flicking it in at the near post. In the dying moments, the referee awarded a spot-kick to the Seagulls for handball, but it was overturned by VAR. It's a win that lifts Chelsea into 10th, and they'll be hoping to build some momentum off this as they travel to Manchester United on Wednesday. Brighton stay in eighth, with Brentford at home next up for them. That's all for today, goodbye!
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Sanchez is starting to dawdle on the ball, and the referee has had enough as he books him for time-wasting.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Yellow Card João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
NO PENALTY! After watching the replays of the penalty and seeing that it clearly smacks Colwill in the side of the head, the referee decides to overturn his original decision, and it's actually a drop ball to Chelsea, much to Brighton's disbelief.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
PENALTY TO BRIGHTON! In the dying seconds, Brighton have a major lifeline! Or do they? Adingra whips a cross in from the right, and Colwill's arm is level with his head. The penalty is given for a handball, but it looks like it actually hits him in the face. This might get overturned....
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
SAVE! There's still a couple of minutes to go in this tie, but Chelsea are standing firm for now. Pedro drops back to the edge of the box to get the ball before drilling a low shot on goal, but Sanchez gets down to hold this one too.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
SAVE! Still, Brighton push for an equaliser, and they look to their right again as Gross gets a yard on Badiashile. The German pulls it back to Ferguson, who improvises with a clever backheel flick, but there's no power on it and Sanchez holds on.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
There are so many bodies in Chelsea's six-yard box as Milner swings another corner into the box. This one misses everyone in the middle, and though Adingra keeps it in play on the far side, it's caught by Sanchez.
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Broja goes over the top of Baker-Boaitey trying to win an aerial challenge, and he's come out of it with his nose bleeding. He needs patching up but initially refuses to go off until the referee forces the issue.
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