Five takeaways from Chelsea's crucial Carabao Cup victory over Brighton
It happened. It happened. Not only did Chelsea score a goal, but they actually won a game.
The Blues ran out 1-0 winners against Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, with Nicolas Jackson's second-half strike enough to steer Chelsea to victory.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Cole Palmer was given the chance to strut his stuff from the start against Brighton, playing behind Jackson as the latest player to audition for the role of Christopher Nkunku's understudy.
Having watched Enzo Fernandez struggle in such an advanced role in recent weeks, Chelsea fans were keen to see what Palmer could offer as a more-natural fit for the position, and the summer signing did not disappoint whatsoever.
Palmer grabbed the assist for Jackson's goal (as well as a harshly disallowed second), and it was in this moment that fans saw the true quality he brings.
After collecting a pass on the edge of the box, Palmer took several small steps to adjust his feet and delayed playing the ball until the perfect second, when he found Jackson's run into the box. It was a patience, a control that Chelsea have lacked this season.
Having played Levi Colwill at left-back for the past few Premier League games, Mauricio Pochettino went into overdrive on Wednesday and named three natural left-backs in his starting lineup.
Ben Chilwell took up the natural role, with Marc Cucurella playing on the right and Ian Maatsen playing as a right-sided attacking midfielder as Pochettino sought both an answer to a mounting injury crisis and a solution to his team's unconvincing performances.
It was a solid outing for all three. Chilwell was his usual self making runs from deep, while Maatsen's intelligence and ability
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