Former Crystal Palace standout Conor Gallagher delivered a striking performance against his former club, netting two goals as Chelsea staged a comeback to secure a 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park in the English Premier League on Monday, adding pressure on Palace manager Roy Hodgson.
Despite the Blues dominating the initial stages, it was Crystal Palace who took the lead with Jefferson Lerma’s spectacular strike in the 30th minute.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea faced resilience from Palace, who aimed to frustrate their opponents and secure a crucial win to widen the five-point gap from the relegation zone.
Chelsea quickly equalized two minutes into the second half, as Malo Gusto’s cross found Gallagher, who, having previously been on loan at Palace in the 2021/2022 season, smashed the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
The pursuit of a winner continued, and Gallagher secured it in stoppage time with a precise first-time finish in the 91st minute.
Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez contributed a composed finish at the near post in the 94th minute, lifting Chelsea to the 10th position on the table.
Entering the match with momentum from an impressive FA Cup win at Aston Villa, Chelsea, forced to make only one change due to Benoit Badiashile’s injury, struggled to breach Palace’s defense in the first half, despite dominating possession and completing 420 passes – the most in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game without registering a shot on target since the 2003/2004 season.
Managerial adjustments at half-time, with Christopher Nkunku coming on and Cole Palmer moving to the right, enhanced Chelsea’s attacking fluidity.
With upcoming fixtures against Manchester City, Liverpool in the EFL Cup final, and Leeds United in the FA Cup, the next two weeks hold significant importance in Chelsea’s season.