Revitalized Cole Palmer scores again for Chelsea in second straight win in Premier League

Cole Palmer showed more signs of a return to his top form by completing the scoring for Chelsea in its wild 4-3 win over Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday.

The playmaker was a revelation in the 2023-24 season — his first at Chelsea — when scoring 22 league goals but he has struggled with injuries and a loss of form since, culminating in Palmer missing out on a place in England’s World Cup squad this summer.

In front of England coach Thomas Tuchel, Palmer ran 30 meters before curling home a shot from the edge of the area for Chelsea’s fourth goal at Stamford Bridge to end Brighton’s realistic hopes of a comeback in an end-to-end thriller.

Romeo Lavia and Pedro Neto put Chelsea 2-0 ahead by the 14th minute before Joao Pedro added a third in the 32nd for Xabi Alonso’s team.

Malick Yalcouyé pulled a goal back for Brighton just before halftime, and the visitors further reduced the deficit when Pedro deflected a cross from Pascal Gross into his own net in the 63rd.

Palmer’s goal clinched a second straight victory for Chelsea, which opened its league campaign by beating Fulham 3-2 on Monday. Palmer scored in that game, too.

Brighton netted its third, through Gross, with the last kick of the game.

A negative for Chelsea was an injury to key midfielder Moises Caicedo, who lasted just 14 minutes after his return to the team as a second-half substitute.

Emi Martinez played as goalkeeper for Chelsea hours after completing his move from Aston Villa.

In other matches, Sunderland beat Fulham 1-0 thanks to substitute Wilson Isidor's goal for a first win of the season and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored Leeds' equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Brentford.

Manchester United hosts Ipswich later, looking to rebound from an opening-round loss to another promoted team in Hull.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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Chelsea's Joao Pedro, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Cole Palmer, centre, challenges for the ball with Brighton's Mats Wieffer, left, and Brighton's Olivier Boscagli during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Cole Palmer, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion in London, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

BODRUM, Turkey (AP) — At least seven people have died after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday, Turkish media reported.

The prime minister of the breakaway north of ethnically divided Cyprus, Unal Ustel, said 237 people have been rescued. A search is underway for another 24 people, he told the Turkish state-run TRT news channel.

Ustel said the ferry faced adverse weather conditions and began taking on water just 15 minutes after departure. A call for help was issued shortly after, he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences and said his government was coordinating with Northern Cyprus in the search and rescue effort.

“We hope we’ll be receiving positive news,” Erdogan said on Sunday in Ankara while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Turkish Military Academy.

The catamaran-style ferry was traveling from the port of Kyrenia, also known as Girne, to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province.

Kyrenia Mayor Murat Senkul said the ship belonged to the Filo Denizcilik ferry company and sank off the coast of Diana beach on Cyprus’ northern coast.

The ferry started taking in water about 7.5 kilometers (4 nautical miles) off the coast, TRT reported.

Video footage from the scene shows people with life-vests floating in the waters around the capsized vessel.

Constantinos Letymbiotis, spokesman for Cyprus’ internationally recognized government, said in a post on X Sunday that the government had expressed its readiness to assist in search and rescue efforts with all available means.

“In these trying times, our thoughts are with those who lost their lives, those who were injured and all those who are living this tragedy,” Letymbiotis said.

“At such times, the protection of human life is paramount.”

A survivor of a catamaran-style ferry which was capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus, arrives at the port of Kyrenia in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo) CORRECTION: a man instead of a survivor

People gather outside the port of Kyrenia in the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, after a catamaran-style ferry overturned off the island's northern coast. (AP Photo)

A survivor of a catamaran-style ferry which was capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus, arrives at the port of Kyrenia in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo)

An ambulance arrives at the port of Kyrenia in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, after a catamaran-style ferry overturned off the northern coast of Cyprus. (AP Photo)

Survivors of a catamaran-style ferry which was capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus arrive at the port of Kyrenia in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo)

Survivors of a catamaran-style ferry which was capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus arrive at the port of Kyrenia in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (AP Photo)