Cole Palmer rewrites Premier League history with four first-half goals in Chelsea’s 4-2 demolition of Brighton

Cole Palmer did something on September 28, 2024, that no player in the 32-year history of the Premier League had ever done. He scored four goals in the first half of a single match, dragging Chelsea to a 4-2 victory over Brighton at Stamford Bridge and casually rewriting the record books in the process. A first half for the ages Brighton came out swinging. Georginio Rutter gave the visitors a lead in the 7th minute, briefly suggesting that Chelsea’s afternoon might not go according to plan. Palmer had other ideas. He equalized in the 21st minute, then stepped up to convert a penalty in the 28th. Three minutes later, he made it a hat trick. By the 41st minute, he had four, the last of which came from a free kick struck from roughly 25 yards out. Carlos Baleba pulled one back for Brighton, making it 4-2. But by then, Palmer had already done enough damage to fill an entire season’s highlight reel. The truly surreal part: all six goals were scored before halftime. The second 45 minutes played out goalless, as if both teams collectively decided the first half had been dramatic enough. Palmer’s rise from Manchester City spare part to Chelsea talisman Palmer arrived at Stamford Bridge fro...