COLE PALMER sealed a ten-minute hat-trick with a stunning free-kick – then grabbed a fourth BEFORE half-time.
The Chelsea superstar, 22, hit the net in the 21st, 28th, 31st and 41st minutes in a bonkers first half at Stamford Bridge.
ReutersCole Palmer was all smiles as he scored four in the first half against Brighton[/caption]
GettyPalmer curled in a special free-kick to complete the hat-trick[/caption]
And that saw him become the first player to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League match ever.
Brighton had taken an early lead but Palmer levelled things up with a superb low finish after capitalising on a very high line from the Seagulls.
Seven minutes later, he had his second when he coolly slotted home a penalty won by Jadon Sancho – sending Bart Verbruggen the wrong way.
And he sealed the treble in style.
Palmer stepped up and curled a gorgeous free-kick from 25 yards into the top corner.
Verbruggen got a fingernail to the ball but could not keep it out as Palmer wheeled away to celebrate in trademark fashion.
Brighton did pull one back through
Palmer then grabbed his fourth of a sensational first half when Sancho won the ball high up and put it on a plate for his team-mate to find the net once again.
That made it four goals in 20 staggering minutes.
Incredibly, Palmer could have SIX in the first half.
Just before his equaliser, the ex-Manchester City man struck the post and then a minute later fired past Verbruggen but it was chalked off for offside by VAR.
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EPAIncredibly he had another ruled out for offside and also hit the post[/caption]