The game began at a furious tempo - a sign of things to come - and it was Brighton who got the early first goal when Georgino Rutter headed in following a scramble in the box.

From there, Palmer stole the show. It briefly looked like it might be one of those days when Cole hit the post and had one disallowed - as did Jadon Sancho - but there was plenty still to come.

In the space of 10 minutes Palmer had a hat-trick, slotting in from Nicolas Jackson's square pass before scoring a penalty - awarded for a foul on Sancho - and a stunning free-kick. Brighton threatened to make things interesting by pulling a goal back, but then Palmer became the first player to score four times in the first half of a Premier League match to bring an incredible 45 minutes to a close.

Things calmed down after half-time, although Cole continued to enjoy himself and Jackson went close on a few occasions, but there were no further additions to the score sheet after the break, although Marc Cucurella had a goal disallowed for offside and Adam Webster cleared one Jackson effort off the line.

The selection

Enzo Maresca reverted back to his Premier League line-up after a flurry of changes in midweek. The only difference from the win over West Ham United in our last league game was Malo Gusto coming in for Tosin Adarabioyo at right-back, Wesley Fofana shifting inside with Levi Colwill, and Marc Cucurella on the left.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo continued in midfield, behind the attacking trio of Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho, with Nicolas Jackson retaining his place up front.

Early setback

It wasn’t the start Chelsea had been hoping for. After a tentative opening with some promising attacks for both teams which came to nothing, a sudden scramble in the Blues box ended with Brighton taking an early lead.

It looked like the danger had passed when Caicedo cut out a low cross, but Colwill was charged down as he cleared and the ball looped into the air. Cucurella was sandwiched between two Brighton players and Sanchez came to punch but couldn’t make it, as Rutter’s header floated away from Colwill on the line and into the net.

There was a long wait after the goal while Cucurella and Rutter both received treatment for head injuries, but there was no hint of VAR getting involved so the visitors had the lead.

Sanchez was called into action again, showing great reflexes to palm away a Danny Welbeck cross which was deflected wickedly towards goal, in what was a worrying start from a Brighton team showing lots of attacking intent.

If at first you don’t succeed

We couldn’t have come any closer to an equaliser than Palmer’s effort 20 minutes in. The pass was slightly behind him on the last line, but the England international’s first touch was brilliant to take him clear and he lifted a delicate finish past the keeper, but it bounced back off the right-hand post.

Palmer did have the ball in the back of the net just seconds later, again following a Fernandez ball in behind, but this time the offside flag was raised to deny him after beating Verbruggen one-on-one.

Finally, with his third attempt in as many minutes, Palmer did have his name on the scoresheet. Jackson gets much of the credit for pressuring Adam Webster and capitalising on his weak backpass, before unselfishly squaring. This time there was nothing to deny Palmer, as he slotted into the empty net.

We could even have had the lead a couple of minutes later, when Madueke was the next to be released in behind and squared for Sancho to score, but replays showed Noni was offside by centimetres so that too was chalked off.

The Cole Palmer show begins

This now frantic first half continued at pace, as we had now got to grips with Brighton’s high defensive line and were ruthlessly setting about the task of exploiting it.

However, it was from the penalty spot that Chelsea got our noses in front at the Bridge. There could be little complaint by the visitors, as Sancho was clearly bundled over by Carlos Baleba while trying to get on the end of a one-two with Fernandez.

There was no question about who would be taking it, or the outcome really. Palmer stepped up and dispatched it into the bottom left corner with a minimum of fuss.

There was more to come in this crazy period of the match as well. Chelsea were furious when Madueke was pulled down by Pervis Estupinan when seemingly through on goal, especially when the defender was only shown a yellow card.

They weren’t let off the hook completely, though, as Palmer continued his masterclass by curling the free-kick perfectly into the top corner. Exactly 10 minutes after his first goal of the game, Cole had completed his hat-trick.

Fast and furious

The pace of the game showed no sign of slowing down, but unfortunately it was Brighton who were next to find the net, pulling one back when Baleba beat Caicedo to a loose pass out from the back by Sanchez to score.

There continued to be no let up in the chances. Sanchez needed strong hands to keep out a long-range drive by Baleba, Madueke hit the side-netting after a good piece of skill in the box, then Verbruggen was off his line just quick enough to prevent Madueke’s low cross finding Sancho for a simple tap in at the back post.

There was little surprise either when a sixth goal arrived before half-time, or at the identity of its scorer. This time it was Fernandez who intercepted a wayward Brighton pass in a dangerous area. Sancho’s resulting through-ball was perfectly weighted and Palmer’s finish even better, beating Verbruggen low at his near post first time.

That meant it was a first half which belonged to Chelsea and Palmer, the forward netting four times in the same Premier League game for the second time in seven months, having also done so in the 6-0 win over Everton in April. However, this time he got all four in the first half, a feat never achieved by any player in the competition before.

The quiet after the storm

Surely the two teams couldn’t maintain that frantic pace for another 45 minutes? Would things calm down after the break? It didn't look like it when Jackson stung Verbruggen's palms a minute into the second half. The striker was even closer moments later when he took the ball around the keeper, but Webster got back to clear off the line.

Webster was at it again, hooking a Madueke pass out from under the crossbar with three Blues queueing up at the back post to score, as Chelsea began to take control of the game in the second half and maintaining pressure on Brighton.

However, after an uncharacteristic miss by Palmer one-on-one, there had been no further additions to the scoresheet after 15 minutes of second-half action. Amazingly, it was the longest we had gone in this game without a goal and a clear sign things would be a little more straightforward in the second half.

Jackson had another go after being released by Palmer, but Lewis Dunk recovered in time to block. It momentarily seemed like Cucurella had a goal against his former club, netting at close range from a corner, but for the third time today the offside flag denied us a goal.

Jackson was getting ever closer to a goal, this time firing Pedro Neto's low cross just wide, but it wouldn't arrive before he was replaced by Christopher Nkunku. Also from the bench came the return of Romeo Lavia following injury, as Chelsea looked increasingly comfortable with our two-goal lead and Brighton began to tire towards the end.

What's next

There are two more home games in quick succession for the Blues this week, starting with the visit of Gent for our first Conference League group game at 8pm on Thursday evening. We then host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at 2pm on Sunday.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella (Veiga 70); Caicedo, Fernandez (Lavia 79) (c); Madueke (Neto 63), Palmer, Sancho (Mudryk 70); Jackson (Nkunku 79)
Unused subs: Jorgensen, Disasi, Tosin, Mudryk, Joao Felix
Booked: Fernandez 29, Cucurella 33, Fofana 78
Scorer: Palmer 21, pen 28, 31, 41

Brighton (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Kadioglu (Minteh 71), Dunk (c), Webster (Igor 57), Estupinan; Baleba, Hinshelwood (Enciso 71), Wieffer (Ayari 57); Rutter, Welbeck (Ferguson 81), Mitoma
Unused subs: Steele, Lamptey, Samuels, Moder
Scorer: Rutter 7, Baleba 34
Booked: Dunk 27, Estupinan 29

Referee: Peter Bankes

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