Chelsea’s decision becomes increasingly perplexing as they secure a late victory against Crystal Palace.
Conor Gallagher was the hero for Chelsea as they beat Crystal Palace 3-1 (Image: Getty). Chelsea came from behind to secure an important three points with a last-gasp 3-1 win over Crystal Palace. Palace opened the scoring at Selhurst Park with Jefferson Lerma’s sensational strike in the 30th minute.
The Blues struggled to respond immediately but emerged from the half-time break with a new-found energy and hit back just two minutes after the restart through Conor Gallagher. Gallagher then fired a fierce strike into the far corner in the 91st minute. Fernandez put the game to bed just three minutes later after a counter-attack.
The Jackson experiment has repercussions as the Blues paid the price for the tactical switch in the first half. The introduction of Christopher Nkunku allowed Cole Palmer to drift back out into more natural territory on the right wing. Reliable Gallagher showed his worth with his neat finishes against Palace, highlighting why the Blues would be short-sighted to overlook him.
Second-half delay occurred when both teams were made to wait as the referee did not emerge from the tunnel. Malo Gusto has been in flying form for Chelsea, providing boundless energy down the right and delivering several inviting crosses. With Reece James ruled out for another few months, Gusto could become one of the first names on the Chelsea team sheet.
Chelsea’s pace and energy were lacking when Thiago Silva returned to the Blues backline against Palace. Although the 39-year-old has a wealth of experience, he could be holding his side back from playing the style of football which Pochettino is trying to implement at Stamford Bridge. Silva was replaced in the 60th minute by Levi Colwill after appearing to pull a muscle blocking a shot.
