Gallagher at the double as Chelsea leave it late to beat Palace
Conor Gallagher returned to Selhurst Park, where he was once a fans favourite on loan at Crystal Palace, to down Roy Hodgson's men with two second half goals that gave Chelsea a victory they barely deserved.
In what was a classic game of two halves for Mauricio Pochettino's men, Chelsea came from behind after a dreadful first-half performance to complete their 13th successive league win over Palace, with Enzo Fernandez adding gloss to the scoreline with their third goal deep in stoppage time.
It was harsh on Hodgson's side, who had taken the lead through Jefferson Lerma and looked like holding out for a precious point until Gallagher scored his second goal in the 91st minute and Fernandez made it 3-1 three minutes later.
Pochettino's men should have been strong favourites against an injury-ravaged Palace side, but after conceding four goals in each of their past two league games, defeats by Liverpool and Wolves, Chelsea's confidence was low and it showed in a lifeless first-half performance.
The game was drifting towards an opening half-hour virtually devoid of meaningful action when Lerma broke the deadlock with a spectacular strike.
There seemed little danger when Jean-Philippe Meta ran from the halfway line towards Axel Disasi. The French defender should have closed down his compatriot comfortably, but the big Palace striker showed surprisingly neat footwork to beat his man and sprint in from the left wing. His cutback was headed by Thiago Silva out to the edge of the penalty area, where Lerma's initial attempt at a flamboyant bicycle kick was neatly foiled by Gallagher. But Chelsea squandered a chance to break clear when Noni Madueke and Moises Caicedo contrived to lose possession 25 yards from goal, and Lerma pounced to lash the loose ball into the far corner of Djorjde Petrovic's goal.
It was a stunning strike from the Colombian, his first goal for Palace, and suddenly got their supporters off their feet, with the Holmesdale Ultras getting into full voice.
Chelsea's fragile confidence eroded. Caicedo and Fernandez, the midfield pairing that cost over €200m Euros, looked all at sea, with the Argentinian misplacing pass after pass in a disjointed display by the visitors. Caicedo passed up a shooting chance on the edge of Palace's penalty area and had to chase Mathaus Franca all the way to the opposite box, where Silva tackled his fellow Brazilian.
Chelsea's first-half performance was summed up when Gallagher, who'd scored eight times on loan at Palace two seasons ago, fired wide of the target with what was Chelsea's first effort on goal, in first-half stoppage time.
It was no surprise to see Pochettino make changes at half-time, sending on Christopher Nkunku to play alongside Nicolas Jackson in the middle, with Cole Palmer returning to the right wing, and Chelsea were quickly rewarded with an equaliser.
After an extended delay to the half, while referee Michael Oliver needed running repairs to his microphone, Chelsea looked much more lively. When the ball was worked out to Malo Gusto on the right, the French full-back whipped in a cross that Gallagher met on the volley to fire high into the net from 12 yards.
Now it was Chelsea's travelling fans who were able to celebrate, and their team responded with a much more positive approach. Jackson had an effort blocked and Palmer shot wide, but Palace still sensed blood on the break. Franca put Mateta through on goal, and although Silva blocked his goalbound shot with a sliding challenge, the Brazilian was injured in the process and limped off with a groin problem.
Chelsea continued to put pressure on the Palace goal. Ben Chilwell shot over the bar, Jackson headed wide and Palmer was denied by a sliding block from Joachim Anderson before shooting straight at Dean Henderson. Raheem Sterling, a late substitute for Jackson, wasted a clear chance created by Palmer.
Palace had chances too, and Franca had a fierce drive well saved by Petrovic before the promising teenager was replaced by Odsonne Edouard, who then dribbled across the Chelsea penalty area before having his shot blocked.
But Gallagher was to have the last laugh. Sterling sent Palmer away on the right, the former Manchester City man cut the ball back to the edge of the box and Gallagher swept his low shot into the far corner of Henderson's goal.
Three minutes later Fernandez made it 3-1 when Palace's defence went AWOL, and the result means Chelsea moved back up to tenth in the table.
Crystal Palace 4-2-3-1: Henderson 6; Munoz 6, Anderson 5, Richards 6, Mitchell 5; Wharton 6, Lerma 7; Ayew 5, Hughes 6 (Ahmada 79), Franca 6 (Edouard 84); Mateta 6.
Chelsea 4-2-3-1: Petrovic 6; Gusto 6 (Gilchrist 84), Disasi 5, Silva 6 (Colwill 61), Chilwell 6; Caicedo 5, Fernandez 6; Madueke 5 (Nkunku 46), Gallagher8, Jackson 5 (Sterling 79); Palmer 7.
Ref: Michael Oliver 7
