Albion floored by four-goal Palmer

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Chelsea 4 Albion 2: Rutter and Baleba score first Premier League goals but Albion suffer first defeat of the season.

Bruce Talbot

2024-09-28T16:55+01:00

Carlos showed his composure to fire in his first Premier League goal. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion suffered their first defeat of the season thanks to a record-breaking performance by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.

Palmer became the first player to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League game – his quadruple coming in 19 minutes and 47 seconds.

Albion had gone in front through Georginio Rutter’s brave seventh-minute header and Carlos Baleba made it 3-2 with a fiercely-struck shot before Cole grabbed his fourth four minutes before the break.

The visitors had other opportunities, with Rob Sanchez denying his former teammates on several occasions in the first half. Albion dominated the closing stages but couldn’t get back into the game.

Carlos Baleba pounced on Rob Sanchez's loose pass to slot home and make it 3-2 on the afternoon. 📷 by James Boardman.

Three changes included a first league start of the season for Adam Webster with Jan Paul van Hecke, Joao Pedro, Simon Adingra and Joel Veltman all sidelined.

Webster made an important early block when Jadon Sancho tried to find the bottom corner before Albion took the lead.

From a Chelsea perspective the goal was a mess. Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill didn’t clear, Rob Sanchez came off his line but was beaten to the ball by Rutter who leapt to head it inside the right-hand post. Sanchez then did just enough to push away Danny Welbeck’s cut-back after it took a hefty deflection off Colwill.

Georginio Rutter beat Rob Sanchez to the ball to head Albion in front. 📷 by James Boardman.

Chelsea responded, led by the irrepressible Palmer. The England man beat Bart Verbruggen with his shot, but it came back off the far post before he had a goal disallowed for offside.

It was a case of third time lucky for Palmer in the 21st minute. Nicolas Jackson got away down the left after intercepting Webster’s pass and unselfishly squared the ball to Palmer who swept home. Sancho was then flagged offside when he converted Noni Madueke’s pass moments later.

Lewis Dunk tells his team to calm down. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion were wobbling and went behind after 27 minutes. Baleba brought down Sancho in the box and Palmer sent Verbruggen the wrong way from the spot.

It got worse. Webster was booked for bringing down Madueke in full flow and were punished when Palmer swept the free-kick from 25 yards into the top corner. A hat-trick in ten minutes completed with his tenth touch of the ball.

Incredibly, Albion were back in it in the 34th minute. Sanchez gave the ball to Baleba trying to pass out and the midfielder drilled a right-foot shot into the corner. Moments later Sanchez plunged to his right to deny Baleba with a fine save before Welbeck lifted his shot well over.

It was turning into the Cole Palmer show though. Four minutes before the break Verbruggen’s pass was intercepted by Enzo Fernandez. He found Sancho whose pass into space was taken on by Palmer and thrashed inside the near post.

Jack Hinshelwood looks to get away from Malo Gusto. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion kept coming and it needed another fine save by Sanchez to stop Welbeck from pulling another goal back while Rutter’s header drifted wide just before the end of a breathless first half.

There was no let-up after the break. Webster slid across to make a goal-line clearance after Nicolas Jackson’s shot beat Verbruggen and Palmer steered a shot wide when Stamford Bridge was ready to acclaim his fifth goal. Cucurella then became the third Chelsea player to be denied a goal by the offside flag.

Albion had some good moments in the closing stages but they need to regroup before facing more London opposition next Sunday at home to Spurs.

Albion: Verbruggen, Kadioglu (Enciso 70), Dunk, Webster (Igor 56), Estupinan, Mitoma, Baleba, Wieffer (Ayari 56), Hinshelwood, Rutter (Minteh 70), Welbeck (Ferguson 80).