Chelsea opened their Premier League season with a 4-3 win over Brighton and Hove Albion, a result that drew praise from BBC's Match of the Day pundit Shay Given for the way manager Xabi Alonso deployed a three-at-the-back system.
Given singled out Chelsea's wing-backs as a key factor in the performance, backing Alonso's side as a genuine title contender using the formation, according to BBC Sport. The seven-goal match gave an early indication that Chelsea under Alonso plan to play an aggressive, attacking style.
Alonso took over Chelsea after his successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen, where he led the club to a historic unbeaten Bundesliga title. His appointment raised expectations at Stamford Bridge heading into the 2026-27 Premier League season. The opening weekend result against Brighton, a side known for their organized and tactically sophisticated approach under their own management, provided an early test of how Chelsea's system would hold up against a quality opponent.
Brighton pushed Chelsea hard through the final whistle, making it a narrow win rather than a comfortable one. The three-goal margin that Chelsea built at some point in the match was not enough to prevent a tense finish, with Brighton pulling back to make it 4-3.
