Xabi Alonso warned that Chelsea remain a team under construction despite a dramatic 4-3 victory over Brighton extending his flawless beginning as head coach.
The result marked Chelsea’s second consecutive Premier League win under Alonso, following their League Cup success since his appointment.
Alonso stressed that the strong opening does not indicate that he has already repaired every issue behind Chelsea’s 10th-place finish before he arrived.
“It was a demanding victory, but that is the nature of the Premier League,” Alonso said. “Brighton have been difficult opponents in these fixtures recently, and there was history between the teams.
“We are pleased to take the points, although a lot happened and we will review the different phases. The opening 30 minutes were outstanding and we might have scored more than three. After that, we dropped too far back. This is a process, and wins like this help us build confidence.”
Seven-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge
- Romeo Lavia put Chelsea ahead at Stamford Bridge, scoring his first goal for the club since joining from Southampton in 2023.
- Pedro Neto then increased the advantage before Joao Pedro made it 3-0.
- Brighton responded before the interval through Malick Yalcouye, adding to an intense and chaotic first half.
- Pedro’s own goal after the restart reduced Chelsea’s margin and created a nervous finish.
- Cole Palmer restored some breathing room with a late strike.
- Pascal Gross scored during added time, but Brighton could not find another goal to prevent Chelsea from holding on.
Chelsea have now scored nine times across Alonso’s opening three matches, underlining the immediate improvement in attack. Their defence, however, has already conceded five goals.
Pedro, Palmer, Neto and Morgan Rogers have developed an impressive understanding in the forward line during Alonso’s first three games.
Alonso singled out former Brighton forward Pedro for praise, saying the player had performed excellently throughout the season and pre-season. He added that Pedro’s determination to give everything in every match was vital, while Chelsea had a responsibility to support him and preserve his appetite for success.
Martinez makes Chelsea debut
Emiliano Martinez conceded three times on his Chelsea debut after completing his transfer from Aston Villa only a few hours before kick-off.
The 33-year-old Argentina international has taken the place of the mistake-prone Robert Sanchez, and Alonso believes the goalkeeper will prove to be an astute signing.
“Having him here is excellent,” Alonso said. “Even with three goals conceded, he immediately made an impact and supported the side effectively. We are delighted to have him. He has a powerful character as well as outstanding goalkeeping ability, and his presence, confidence and charisma affect the whole team.”
Fernandez future remains unresolved
Enzo Fernandez missed a second straight match amid reported interest from Manchester City.
Alonso declined to discuss whether Fernandez will remain at Chelsea or whether the club will add further players before Tuesday’s transfer-window deadline.
“We will find out what happens, and we are prepared for any situation,” he said. “The priority is the team. Whatever the squad looks like after Tuesday, I will be happy because it will be strong enough to compete this season.”
