Chelsea secured a vital 2-1 victory against Brighton and Hove Albion to move up to sixth place on the table.
The game was not without its contentious moments, with Chelsea denied a penalty in the early stages when Marc Cucurella appeared to be brought down in the box.
Referee Michael Salisbury initially awarded the spot-kick but overturned his decision after consulting VAR, much to Chelsea's frustration.
It was Cucurella who played a pivotal role in Brighton's downfall, as his precise cross set up Palmer for the opening goal in the 34th minute.
Despite chances for Joao Pedro and Pascal Gross to level the score for Brighton, it was Chelsea who doubled their lead in the 64th minute. Substitute Nkunku capitalized on Malo Gusto's delivery to extend Chelsea's advantage.
However, Chelsea's task became more challenging when Reece James received a straight red card for a rash challenge on Pedro. Reduced to ten men, Chelsea had to dig deep to preserve their lead.
Their resilience was tested further when Welbeck found the net late in the game, setting up a nervy finale. Despite Brighton's late surge, Chelsea held on to claim a crucial victory.
Below is the EPL Golden Boot Table;