A step forward

Pochettino made six changes to the side that started the 5-0 win over Wrexham. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Thiago Silva and Levi Colwill were handed their first pre-season minutes and Conor Gallagher, Raheem Sterling and Christopher Nkunku came into the XI.

The intense fitness work undertaken this summer was evident in the early minutes as Chelsea pressed and harried Brighton's backline. One such wave of pressure resulted in an early chance for Ian Maatsen, who guided a shot wide from distance.

However, the Blues were then undone from a Brighton corner. The ball was worked short and eventually delivered to the back post to Kaoru Mitoma. His header found Danny Welbeck unmarked and the forward finished instinctively.

There was little Kepa could do to deny Welbeck on that occasion, but he did produce a smart stop to keep the England international from adding a second.

It proved an important moment as Chelsea soon levelled. Colwill started an attack that enabled Carney Chukwuemeka to drive forward and exchange passes with Maatsen. The former's shot was deflected into the path of Nkunku, who finished deftly for his second goal of pre-season.

Brighton responded and created a flurry of chances during the remainder of the opening period. Yet Solly March, Welbeck and Mitoma were all unable to beat Kepa in the Chelsea goal.

A handful of changes were made at the break with Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Cesare Casadei and Mykhailo Mudryk introduced. And Chelsea made a strong start to the half.

Yet the decisive moment of the game came on the hour mark as Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke clattered into Casadei on the touchline. The Dutchman was shown a second yellow card and then a red. Advantage Chelsea.

Pochettino's side swiftly made their numerical superiority count – and in emphatic style. There appeared little danger when Mudryk received the ball down the left flank, but he then clipped the ball to Nicolas Jackson, who had been introduced moments early.

The two exchanged passes, and then did so again. It gave the Ukraine international time and space to measure a shot and fire beyond Bart Verbruggen. It was a excellent goal.

Another followed soon after. Jackson was again the architect as his quick feet in the Brighton penalty area resulted in the ball being shifted to Gallagher. He finished cooly from eight yards out.

It had been an impressive cameo from the Senegal international to that point. He then added a goal of his own. A Cucurella pass wasn't cut out and Jackson was able to confidently finish.

Brighton did reduce their deficit from the penalty spot via Joao Pedro and added a late third through striker Denis Undav. But Chelsea had done enough to secure victory.

What it means...

A winning start to the Premier League Summer Series for Pochettino's side – and a second victory of pre-season.

What comes next...

Further hard graft on the training pitches before the Blues take on Newcastle United in their second Premier League Summer Series match in Atlanta.

The teams

Chelsea: Kepa; Gusto (Humphreys, 70), Silva (Chalobah, HT), Colwill (Hall, 80), Chilwell (Cucurella, HT); Santos (Fernandez, 62), Gallagher; Sterling (Angelo, 62), Chukwuemeka (Casadei, HT), Maatsen (Mudryk, HT); Nkunku (Jackson, 62)

Unused Chelsea subs: Cumming, Bergstrom, Gilchrist, Moreira, Burstow

Brighton: Steele (Verbruggen, HT); Gross (Weir, 67), Van Hecke, Webster (Alzate, 56), March (Undav, HT); Gilmour (Ayari, 56), Dahoud (Andingra, HT), Hinshelwood (Samuels, 66), Lallana (Veltman, HT); Mitoma (Enciso, 53); Welbeck (Joao Pedro, 53)

Unused Brighton subs: Ferguson, Peupion, Baker-Boaitey

Attendance: 65,128