We were once again free-flowing in attack and opened up a three-goal advantage after just 32 minutes. Lavia netted his first Chelsea goal to break the deadlock after four minutes, and both Neto and Joao Pedro found the net with clinical finishes from inside the penalty area.

Brighton reduced the deficit before interval via Malick Yalcouye, and grabbed a second just after the hour-mark when Joao Pedro deflected a cross into our net.

Yet Alonso's side, as they did against Fulham, showed the right response to pressure and, with 16 minutes to play, Palmer swept home a 20-yard strike. The Seagulls did grab a late third – Pascal Gross heading home – but it proved nothing more than a late consolation.

A Blues debut

Alonso made seven changes to the side that started our Carabao Cup second-round victory over Luton Town on Thursday

Emi Martinez, whose signing was confirmed earlier in the day, started in goal. Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill were the back three, with Neto and Jorrel Hato at wing-back. Lavia was partnered in midfield by Malo Gusto, and the front three was Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro.

Before the action got underway, there were touching tributes to two influential Chelsea figures who passed away this summer: our second all-time highest goalscorer, Bobby Tambling, and our former chairman, Ken Bates. Both will be missed.

Another fast start

At Fulham on Monday night, the Blues made a rapid start and were ahead inside 35 seconds. Our opener didn't arrive quite as early against the Seagulls, but just four minutes were on the clock.

Neto was heavily involved, as the Portugal international won and delivered a corner that Joao Pedro met at the near post. Mats Wieffer got back onto the line to block, but a mix-up with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen saw the ball fall to Lavia, who nudged a shot over the line for his first Chelsea goal.

The Blues were firmly on top. We moved the ball confidently across the pitch and carried a threat whenever we advanced into Brighton's defensive third. And ten minutes after going ahead, we fashioned our second goal of the contest.

Rogers was the creator, collecting a Joao Pedro knock-down and forcing his way past Mario Vuskovic. The England international squared the ball into the penalty area, and Neto burst forward to finish beyond Verbruggen.

We should have had a third midway through the half, as Neto chased down and brushed aside Ferdi Kadıoglu and played a pass to Joao Pedro. The Brazilian took a touch, which sat down two Brighton defenders, but he guided his finish from 12 yards wide.

Martinez, aside from coming to collect a couple of crosses, had little work to do in the opening half-hour. He did have to produce a smart reaction stop, though, when Yalcouye prodded a cross toward goal.

Adding a third

Joao Pedro – booed throughout by the supporters of his former club – briefly silenced the away end with a deserved 32nd-minute goal. Hato was instrumental, exchanging passes in our half with Rogers and surging upfield with the ball.

Wieffer was unable to keep up with the Dutchman, who fed the ball to Joao Pedro and the Blues' No.9 made no mistake with his finish.

Unfortunately, our three-goal advantage was quickly reduced as Brighton pulled a goal back through Yalcouye, who rifled a volley in off the post after Martinez had denied Diego Gomez.

Before the interval, each side created one further chance: Rogers came close for the Blues with a shot from distance that flashed past the post, while Gomez headed wide.

Seagulls pressure

The second period remained an open affair – perhaps too much for Alonso's liking. Brighton made better use of the space and caused the Blues problems.

Many of the Seagulls' chances fell to Gomez. The Paraguayan forward dragged a shot wide before missing a close-range header from a free-kick. It was a chance he should have scored.

Our threat remained and Neto did excellently once again to shrug off Kadıoglu and break into the box. His near-post effort was saved and, on the rebound, Rogers whipped a cross into the six-yard box for Palmer, who could only volley over.

Martinez's first big save in a Chelsea shirt came soon after, as he reacted excellently to push wide a shot from Gomez. Unfortunately, from the resulting corner, the ball was worked to Pascal Gross, whose pass deflected off Joao Pedro and ended in our net.

Right reaction

Alonso soon turned to his bench. Josh Acheampong, Reece James and Moises Caicedo, playing his first minutes of the season, were introduced. The booked Fofana, Lavia and Neto were replaced.

Our changes didn't immediately quell the Brighton tide, and Martinez had to save well from a powerful drive from Olivier Boscagli. It was an important moment as, five minutes later, the Blues struck our fourth goal of the game.

The goal had shades of our first, as Joao Pedro controlled and laid off a throw-in. This time, Palmer collected the ball, advanced 20 yards, and then curled a shot expertly beyond Verbruggen.

Sixteen minutes remained – and the Blues worked hard to see out the contest. We shifted into a 5-4-1 shape, which largely kept Brighton outside our box, and enabled Joao Pedro to lead several counter-attacks, which were often stopped illegally by Brighton defenders.

There were five minutes of stoppage time and it appeared there would be no more goals added to the scoreline. However, in the final action of the game, a long Brighton throw was flicked on and headed home by Gross.

It proved too late to alter the destination of the points, with Alonso's side taking six from our opening two top-flight fixtures.

What comes next...

We travel across London next weekend to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday 6 September. Kick-off is scheduled for 4.30pm (UK time).

The teams

Chelsea: Martinez; Fofana (Acheampong 68), Lacroix, Colwill (c) (Chavarria 72); Neto (Caicedo 68, Barco 82), Gusto, Lavia (James 68), Hato; Palmer, Rogers; Joao Pedro.
Chelsea substitutes: Penders, Caicedo, Gittens, Estevao Willian, Welbeck.
Goalscorers: Lavia 4, Neto 14, Joao Pedro 32
Booked: Fofana 55

Brighton: Verbruggen, Wieffer (Costinha 80), Vuskovic, Dunk, Kadioglu; Gross, Boscagli; Gomez, Yalcouye (Osman 74), De Cuyper; Kostoulas
Brighton substitutes: Steele, Struijk, Hadjam, Cozier-Duberry, O'Riley, Oriola
Goalscorers: Yalcouye 35, Joao Pedro og 62, Gross 90+6
Booked: Dunk 70, Boscagli 89, Costinha 90+1

Attendance: 39,494