Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso reflected on his team's hard-fought victory against Brighton, which ended 4-3, during an interview with BBC Match of the Day.
The Spanish boss acknowledged that while his side started exceptionally well, they allowed Brighton back into the match.
“It was a tough win, but this is the Premier League. We knew it would be hard to beat Brighton, especially given the history between the teams. It’s great that we finished with the victory, but a lot happened throughout the match. We’ll have time to analyse different phases of our performance.”
Ahead of the game, Alonso was particularly enthusiastic about the first 30 minutes, highlighting that Chelsea could have found the net even more:
“Those first 30 minutes were magnificent. We could have scored more than three goals. But after that we sat back too deep. It’s a process. We need to grow from victories like this, as they build confidence.”
Alonso also singled out Joao Pedro for praise, who has been in excellent form throughout the season:
“He has been superb in every match he has played this season and in pre-season as well. He possesses a tremendous desire to give 100% in every game and have a fantastic season. We need to support him, but it's crucial that he has that ambition.”
Lastly, Alonso expressed joy at the debut of new signing Emi Martinez:
“It’s great to have him with us. We saw that today. Even though we conceded three goals, he had a direct impact on the match and really helped the team. We’re very happy he’s here.”
