Perhaps Mauricio Pochettino is on to something after all? A fourth successive victory thanks to Cole Palmer’s 27th goal of the season and another from the substitute Christopher Nkunku was the latest indication that Chelsea are gathering pace on the road to recovery despite a mindless late red card for the captain Reece James.

Pochettino’s side now find themselves within touching distance of securing some kind of European football for next season, with there even being a possibility of beating Tottenham to fifth spot if they can claim victory in their final match of the season against Bournemouth on Sunday. It has been a remarkable turnaround since the record 5-0 thrashing at Arsenal a few weeks ago, with Palmer and Nkunku – who celebrated his goal on only his 11th league appearance after joining for £52m last summer by blowing up a blue balloon – giving a tantalising glimpse of what this team might someday be capable of.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side were well-beaten despite Danny Welbeck’s late consolation. The only negative for Pochettino was the dismissal of James less than 20 minutes after he had come off the bench when he kicked out at João Pedro on the ground after tangling with the Brazilian and the incident was spotted by VAR.

“It’s difficult to give my opinion because I didn’t see it. Maybe it’s his frustration,” said the Chelsea manager. “It’s painful because it was a fantastic night of football and he is our captain and a really important player. I’m disappointed because he is now going to miss our next game and maybe some games next season.”

Brighton’s hopes of reaching Europe again may have long since faded but there was still plenty riding on this for their fans, who heartily booed the names of Marc Cucurella and Moisés Caicedo whenever they touched the ball. They were just two of 11 players or staff members to have left the south coast for Stamford Bridge, culminating in the head of recruitment Sam Jewell’s departure in February. Brighton seemed intent on making a point in their last home match of an up-and-down campaign that has been undermined by a number of serious injuries after selling their midfield engine room last summer. But ultimately De Zerbi had to concede that his side were too slow to respond after falling two goals behind.

It was an evening to forget for the referee, Michael Salisbury, whose decision to award a penalty in the first half – after Facundo Buonanotte challenged Cucurella inside the penalty area – was overturned on a VAR recommendation on the day it was announced that Premier League clubs will vote whether to scrap the system for next season. But De Zerbi was left mystified by VAR’s failure to intervene when Malo Gusto seemed to foul Simon Adingra at the start of the second half.

“We have to speak about the level of the referees like we do about the level of the coaches,” said the Brighton manager. “I didn’t like the referee today – I didn’t like his control of the game. I’m sorry for the red card for James because it was a normal reaction. If you have played football then it can happen.”

De Zerbi admitted this week that he had tried to sign Palmer from Manchester City in the summer so there was an inevitability about his involvement in Chelsea’s opener. Cucurella found space down the left and delivered an inch-perfect cross. The England forward was able to steer his deft header over the despairing dive of Bart Verbruggen to Pochettino’s clear delight.

There was some concern for the Chelsea manager when Mykhailo Mudryk needed treatment after a clash with Tariq Lamptey, with the Ukraine forward eventually being replaced by Nkunku after Pochettino confirmed he felt “a little bit dizzy”. Jackson had a header ruled out for offside in nine minutes of first-half injury time before João Pedro was unlucky to see his header cannon back off the crossbar in the closest Brighton had come to finding a breakthrough.

The lively Nkunku and Gusto both went close for Chelsea after the break, but only Pascal Gross will know how he managed not to direct his volley on target from three yards from another Lamptey cross as De Zerbi was remonstrating with the fourth official about another decision. Chelsea were a threat on the break as Brighton pushed forward for an equaliser, although their second came from a brilliant move down the right flank started by Noni Madueke, with Gusto providing the cutback for Nkunku to score his first goal since January.

With his team cantering towards victory, Pochettino will be scratching his head as to what got into James late on, with the defender now facing a four-match ban after only recently returning from injury. Adingra struck a post in injury time with a volley as Brighton attempted to claw their way back before Welbeck scored from a João Pedro cross. But it was far too late for a comeback and Chelsea will head into this weekend with everything to play for.