Enzo Maresca's reaction to Robert Sanchez's mistake as Chelsea boss makes point in Brighton win

After 90 minutes, Enzo Maresca walked through the mixed zone with a wide smile on his face — and why not? His team had been exciting and, in many ways, is overachieving at this point. Last season, they drew at Bournemouth; this season, he’s won there.

They lost at West Ham last season, but this time, he went there and won. And here, he’s just won Chelsea's first home league game, secured three points, and got Stamford Bridge bouncing for almost 90 minutes. The last time the stadium saw anything close to this level of excitement was the 2-2 draw against Tottenham, which ended with Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel needing to be separated.

There have been questions about the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and whether it helps the team in difficult moments. Well, the answer was an emphatic yes against Brighton. Cole Palmer was unstoppable, clinical, and composed. The beauty of Palmer is that he makes everything look so simple. He plays the game at his own pace, and one of the takeaways from this game — if there was ever any doubt — is that he will be the main man again, just as he was for Pochettino last season.

So, in what was undoubtedly one of the most exciting outings at Stamford Bridge, here are a few things we observed while sitting directly behind the manager.

Bernardo Cueva, the set-piece coach, is brilliant

Chelsea raided Brentford for their set-piece coach, and he’s not messing around. Against Brighton, he was constantly communicating with players, directing positions whenever there were set pieces. There was one occasion when Brighton had a corner, and manager Maresca turned to look at Cueva as if to ask, "Are we well-positioned to defend this?" Cueva nodded affirmatively. Fans in the expensive seats behind the players might have noticed in the first half when Cueva was the only one to applaud how Chelsea defended a cross from the right-hand side. Not because Sanchez came out to collect it or because it was headed away, but because the entire defensive line successfully played Mitoma — who was the target of the cross — offside. It was clear that this was a training routine to defend deep crosses. Tougher days will come, but it's fair to say Cueva is earning his wages at the moment.

Axel Disasi is the ultimate teammate

Disasi may still divide opinions within a section of the fanbase, but he is one of the most popular teammates in the squad and for good reason. In the first half, Malo Gusto had a problem with his boot. Instead of waiting for a member of the coaching staff to get him a new pair, Disasi was the first to jump into the tunnel and grab the boots for his teammate. A small gesture, but one that shows his selflessness and why so many want to keep him around. He even got a handshake from a member of the coaching staff when he returned.

Maresca encouraging Sanchez

Robert Sanchez, for the first time this season, had a game to forget. He was at fault for the first goal, rushing out into no man’s land, and under-hit a pass that led to Brighton’s second goal. But like all good managers, Maresca made it a point to consistently call out to him, then applauded him as a sign of encouragement when he got his passing right in the second half. Sanchez, in return, gave him a thumbs-up to acknowledge the support from the sidelines — a small detail, but one that calms a player who made two major mistakes in a high-stakes game.

Noni Madueke heads straight into the tunnel before returning to take his seat

Noni Madueke has been brilliant this season, and his hat-trick at Wolves showed he can be one of the stars of the show. But he was probably disappointed not to get on the scoresheet today. When he was substituted for Neto, he high-fived the front row of the coaching staff and went straight into the tunnel. He returned a few minutes later to take his seat as Chelsea cleverly saw off Brighton in style. One credit to Maresca’s coaching is how he’s managed to generate genuine competition within the team — players aren’t sulking when they aren’t playing, and those who come off the bench push hard to get into the starting lineup. That kind of competition is what turns good teams into great ones.