Frank Lampard got his first Premier League home win as Chelsea boss as second-half goals from Jorginho and Willian sank Brighton 2-0.
The Blues had peppered the Brighton goal throughout the first half but only made the breakthrough when Jorginho tucked in a penalty five minutes after half-time.
Willian’s well-taken second secured a maiden three points at home for Lampard, while Brighton never really threatened to deny the hosts a first clean sheet of the season.
For the Seagulls, the Graham Potter revolution has yet to take off and they have now not won since the opening weekend of the season.
Not that the omens were particularly promising for them here.
They had lost all eight previous league meetings with Chelsea and have now set an English record for most games played, and lost, against one opponent.
Nor had Brighton ever scored at Stamford Bridge in five visits. In their two Premier League trips to west London they mustered two shots on target. On Saturday they managed one, in stoppage time.
Chelsea, by contrast, had 17 shots – three of them sitters – in a one-sided first half without finding a way through.
They were inches away from taking the lead when Tammy Abraham glanced a header which bounced against a post.
Ross Barkley should have put them ahead in the 36th minute when he met Marcos Alonso’s cross at the far post, but the England midfielder’s cushioned volley gave Mat Ryan a chance to make a save and the Australian did so superbly.
Worse was to come in front of the Brighton goal, Pedro shooting straight at Ryan when clean through before Alonso arrived at the far post only to blaze over from three yards out.
Brighton somehow survived the first half, but five minutes into the second Adam Webster hit the self-destruct button.
Webster’s poor touch in the area allowed Mason Mount to poke the ball away from him, and as the defender tried to win it back he tripped the youngster.
Jorginho assumed penalty-taking duties despite Pedro notching one against Grimsby in midweek, and the Italian coolly rolled it home.
A short backpass almost gifted Abraham Chelsea’s second but Ryan was quickly off his line to snuff out the danger.
Brighton briefly threatened an equaliser, Steven Alzate seeing a shot deflected wide before Dan Burn headed the resulting corner into the ground and up off the crossbar.
But their rally was short-lived, Callum Hudson-Odoi feeding Willian who charged into the box and finished at the near post.
It was a routine victory, Brighton’s lack of menace summed up when Dale Stephens’ shot rolled apologetically into the hands of Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga seconds from the final whistle.
