On this most memorable of afternoons for Brighton and their new manager the message from Brighton was clear – you can take our manager, left-back and a host of staff but you won’t turn up here and leave with the three points too.

There are some things, they might say, that money cannot buy. After five games without a win under Potter’s Brighton successor De Zerbi this particular game, with all the circumstances surrounding it, seemed to be just what Brighton needed.

Fired up does not do it or their performance for much of the 90 minutes, but especially the first half when they effectively settled this game, justice. Indeed, Brighton played with the fearlessness and belief against big-name opposition, as they took the game to Chelsea from the off, that Potter is credited with instilling in them.

With the help of a defensive nightmare from Chelsea, Brighton raced into a three goal lead by half-time. And though Potter’s half-time changes brought Chelsea back into it, the damage was already done.

De Zerbi’s reign belatedly has lift off and a statement win to start that process too, Brighton’s 100th in the top flight.

Potter was left contemplating a first defeat after a nine-game unbeaten start to his Chelsea reign at perhaps the last place he would have wished to suffer it, his former club.

The humiliating nature of the first-half especially, as Chelsea were out-thought, out-fought and crumbled, would have been added salt in his wounds.

To his credit, when it would have been easy to and even the better option, Potter did not hide, remaining on the edge of his technical area as his team unravelled in front of him. It is a shame for him that his team were not as defiant.

Relations were cordial between some of the backroom staff who followed Potter to Chelsea and their Brighton counterparts, with handshakes and hugs as the teams went back inside after the warm ups.

• Agencies report