The Poch view: 'This type of win' exactly what Chelsea needed 

Welcome to the match that Mauricio Pochettino believes shows his players are finally becoming a team.

WEATHERING THE STORM: Chelsea's Conor Gallagher leaves the pitch past manager Mauricio Pochettino after being shown a red card. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.

Chelsea 3 (Fernandez 17, 65 pen, Colwill 21) Brighton 2 (Buonanotte 43, Joao Pedro 92) 

A last-second penalty denied by VAR, a player sent off in the first half, a controversial penalty that was given and angry scenes at the final whistle as rivals were pulled apart. 

The bare facts are that 10-man Chelsea beat Brighton 3-2 to move up to 10th in the Premier League – despite seeing captain Conor Gallagher sent off after 41 minutes - and add another positive result to what has at times been a patchy start to the season under new management.

The goals included two from midfielder Enzo Fernandez and one from Levi Colwill, with Facundo Buonanotte and Joao Pedro (deep into injury time) replying for Albion.

The victory was only confirmed in the 10th minute of injury time when Brighton were given a penalty for handball by Colwill – but amid chaotic and confusing scenes it was withdrawn following intervention by VAR. Leading to a right old fracas as confused players shoved each other around after the final whistle.

How on earth do you pick all that up in a post-match press conference when you are drained by it all?

Mauricio Pochettino found it difficult but settled on what he liked from his team - including seeing his players rush into support each other in that post-match melee.

“It’s football, it’s emotional, and there was a lot of confusion,” he said.

“We needed this type of win to be a team. I’m pleased for that.

“People talk about the way we play but first you need to belong to the team, to the club. You need to grow and get experience. You need all that before you talk about the style of play. That comes after.

“I feel really proud of the character we showed. It was important to build confidence this way because we have a young team. Not young players, young team. So, we need to improve, and we need to learn.” 

Pochettino’s only stab at controversy was to insist ‘it wasn’t a sending off, that’s my opinion,’ when asked about Gallagher’s red card, which came following a tackle from behind on Colwill in the first half.

And, surprisingly, his opposite number Roberto De Zerbi, no stranger to red and yellow cards in his Brighton career so far, was even more careful when asked to assess referee Craig Pawson’s performance and that post-match drama.

“I don’t want to speak about the referee,” he insisted. “About football, yes. But when it comes to the referee, I didn’t see anything “Referees are people like coaches and they can make mistakes. But whether they made mistakes I don’t want to say. I’m not the right person to say if they did a good job.” 

In the end, it just wasn’t Brighton’s day. 

But for Chelsea, this will be a result that could define how their season pans out – and how the Pochettino era develops.

Chelsea made a bright and fast start, going 2-0 ahead inside 21 minutes following a high-pressing tactic that felt new or certainly improved.

Fernandez scored his first Premier League goal of the season when he glanced home a header after Benoit Badiashille hooked in a cross towards the far post. 

Then Colwill forced home his first Chelsea goal from a corner routine, the ball just inching over the line despite a desperate clearance from the visiting defence. 

But the team’s curse of taking two steps forward and then one back ensured this was no straightforward 2-0 victory.

First, Chelsea allowed Buonanotte the freedom to roam onto an Adam Lallana pass and curl home a low left-footed shot for 2-1. 

Then, Gallagher received his marching orders for a stretching tackle on Colwill which resulted in his second yellow card of the afternoon.

Chelsea felt it was soft, and it was, but when you tackle from behind these days and get the man first, the outcome is inevitable.

Brighton sought to make the most of their advantage in the second half by bringing on four pairs of fresh legs – James Milner, Joao Pedro, Kauro Mitoma and Pascal Gross.

But there was another controversial twist when Mykhailo Mudryk raced through on goal and was sent tumbling by Milner. It looked like an old-school shoulder barge, but VAR spotted a tangle of legs, and sent Pawson to the monitor.

It was Fernandez who converted the penalty, driving it calmly down the middle, and suddenly Chelsea’s up-and-down season was on an up again.

It did, however, leave time for a dramatic finale as Chelsea tired and Joao Pedro scored from a 92nd minute corner – all leading to a match-defining VAR decision in the final seconds.

The fact that, in this case, VAR got it right – the ball appeared to hit Colwill’s head and not his hand – will be no consolation to Brighton who felt that decisions went against them.

Instead, We may well look back at this performance as the one that brought Chelsea together as a team – and finally convinced fans at Stamford Bridge that the Pochettino magic is starting to work.

Chelsea: Sanchez 7, Disasi 6, Thiago Silva 7, Badiashile 7, Colwill 8, Caicedo 6, Fernandez 9, Sterling 7 (Palmer 66; 6), Gallagher 6, Mudryk 7 ( Brjoja 81; 6) Jackson 7 (Maatsen 72; 6.

Brighton: Steele 6, Veltman 6, Van Hecke 6, Julio 6 (Baker-Boaitey; 6), Baleba 6 (Gross 57; 7), Gilmour 7, Hinshelwood 6 (Milner 57; 6), Lallana 6 (Joao Pedro 57; 7), Adringa 7, Buonanotte 7 (Mitoma 57; 6), Ferguson 6.

Referee: Craig Pawson