Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Chelsea put in a much better second-half display at Crystal Palace to come away with all three points. A double from Conor Gallagher and a late Enzo Fernandez strike was enough for the Blues to send the away supporters back home with a beaming smile on their faces.
Jefferson Lerma gave the hosts a one-goal advantage heading into the half-time break. But Conor Gallagher levelled the match against his former club with a clever finish just after the restart.
Then in the dying moments of the game, Gallagher slotted one in the bottom corner to give Chelsea all three points. Wow. Crystal Palace vs Chelsea is a game to rewatch.
And it was made even better when Enzo Fernandez added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage-time. Below, Bobby Vincent rates each of the Chelsea players.
PLAYER RATINGS (CRYSTAL PALACE VS CHELSEA)
Djordje Petrovic – Called into action on 23 minutes with a comfortable save to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta. I’m not sure he can really do much about that pile-driver from Lerma. Did well to deny Matheus Franca in the second half. 6.
Malo Gusto – After a superb performance last week, it was another solid showing from the Frenchman. He looks like an all-round full-back, who is good at both sides of his game, which is quite rare nowadays. Great assist for Conor Gallagher at the beginning of the second-half. 7.
Axel Disasi – An old-school physical battle against Mateta. At times, he came off worse in the first-half but he regained his calmness and composure for the second. 6.
Thiago Silva – A lot of eyes on him given what happened without him at Villa Park. He did well. A couple of key sliding tackles, especially the one just before the hour-mark to deny Mateta, but unfortunately that ended his night due to injury. 6.
Ben Chilwell – Not his best day. Also I don’t believe he was disastrous like most of my X timeline seemed to think. 5.
Moises Caicedo – Looked as if he was playing deeper than at Aston Villa last week. Poor for the Lerma goal. He gave it away far too easily after some indecisive play between him and Noni Madueke in a dangerous position. 5.
Enzo Fernandez – Not as breathtaking as Villa away but quietly quite good in there. Kept the ball ticking over nicely. A lot more influential in the second-half, and that told at the end with a lovely third goal for the Blues. 8.
Noni Madueke – Not at it this evening. Had plenty of chances to do something but was unable to. Really poor for the Lerma goal, too. Hooked at half-time. 4.
Conor Gallagher – Quiet in the first-half, but moved into a slightly deeper position, albeit still an offensive role, in the second period. Took his first goal brilliantly. Goal-machine Gallagher they call him. Two in two? Make that three in two. What a finish to win it right at the death. He loves playing his football at Selhurst Park. 9.
Nicolas Jackson – Moved into a more central role in the second-half after being extremely quiet prior to that on the left-hand side. Replaced on 79 minutes. 5.
Cole Palmer – I felt like we were not seeing anything near his best in the formation Pochettino started with. He doesn’t get on the ball as much and when he does, he has to drop deep, leaving a big space that he has vacated up top. Pochettino must have listened, as well, with Palmer moving onto the right in the second-half and being much more of a threat. 6.
Substitutes: Christopher Nkunku – On at half-time for Madueke. He was quite quiet and didn’t really get the service he wanted. 6.
Source: Football.london
