Crystal Palace 1-2 Chelsea: Conor Gallagher hits late winner to earn boss Graham Potter first victory

 

Palace felt Thiago Silva should have been sent off for a deliberate handball five minutes before he set up Chelsea's equaliser

Conor Gallagher returned to Selhurst Park to haunt Crystal Palace with a stunning late winner to give Graham Potter a controversial first victory as Chelsea boss.

Substitute Gallagher, who impressed on loan at Palace last season, curled home a superb right-footed effort to snatch victory for Chelsea with his first goal for the club.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also scored his first Chelsea goal on his Premier League return after Odsonne Edouard had poked Palace into an early lead.

However, there was controversy surrounding Aubameyang's goal as it was set up by Thiago Silva, who Palace felt should have been sent off for a deliberate handball which denied Jordan Ayew a possible goalscoring opportunity.

Palace furious over Silva handball

Gallagher, whose impressive form for Palace last season earned him his England debut, was introduced by Potter in the 76th minute for Kai Havertz.

And with the game seemingly petering out for a draw, the 22-year-old midfielder nutmegged Jean-Philippe Mateta before curling a shot into Vicente Guaita's top corner.

However, while Gallagher returned to break Palace hearts, Eagles supporters will likely direct their ire towards the officials following the decision not to send Silva off.

Just after the half-hour mark, the Chelsea defender appeared to deliberately handle the ball after falling to the ground, denying Ayew a possible goalscoring opportunity.

Referee Chris Kavanagh showed the Brazilian a yellow card, which was upheld following a VAR check, much to the dismay of Palace boss Patrick Vieira - who was booked for his protests - and his players.

Palace's sense of injustice deepened when Silva headed James' long ball into the path of Aubameyang, who produced a smart finish on the half-volley to bring Chelsea level.

Because of the postponement of matches following the death of Queen Elizabeth II - for whom a minute's silence was observed before kick-off - and the international break, neither side had played a Premier League game since 3 September.

And while Chelsea looked settled in possession early on, Palace took the lead with their first attack. Edouard pounced on a loose Wesley Fofana pass and found Ayew on the right. The Ghanaian's dipping cross found Edouard, who stretched to poke the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

With their tails up, the home side - who lost Nathaniel Clyne to a serious-looking injury before half-time - immediately pressed for a second as Kepa turned Eberechi Eze's shot from distance around the post with the Palace attacker firing narrowly wide from the resultant corner.

Wilfried Zaha forced a sharp save from Kepa in the second half but Palace were unable to put the Chelsea defence under enough pressure, before Gallagher popped up to rub salt in the home side's wounds and get Potter off the mark as Blues boss.

Aubameyang marked his Premier League return with a well-taken first-half equaliser for Chelsea

Player of the match

HavertzKai Havertz

Crystal Palace

Squad number22Player nameÉdouard

Squad number11Player nameZaha

Squad number10Player nameEze

Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew

Squad number7Player nameOlise

Squad number6Player nameGuéhi

Squad number2Player nameWard

Squad number13Player nameGuaita

Squad number3Player nameMitchell

Squad number28Player nameDoucouré

Squad number17Player nameClyne

Squad number15Player nameSchlupp

Squad number19Player nameHughes

Squad number5Player nameTomkins

Squad number14Player nameMateta

Chelsea

Squad number29Player nameHavertz

Squad number23Player nameGallagher

Squad number10Player namePulisic

Squad number24Player nameJames

Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva

Squad number21Player nameChilwell

Squad number9Player nameAubameyang

Squad number8Player nameKovacic

Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek

Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga

Squad number19Player nameMount

Squad number18Player nameBroja

Squad number17Player nameSterling

Squad number33Player nameFofana

Squad number5Player nameJorginho

Line-ups Crystal Palace

Formation 4-3-3

13Guaita

17Clyne2Ward6Guéhi3Mitchell

7Olise28Doucouré10Eze

9J Ayew22Édouard11Zaha

13Guaita

17Clyne Substituted forTomkinsat 43'minutes

2Ward

6Guéhi

3Mitchell

7Olise

28Doucouré Substituted forHughesat 84'minutes

10Eze Substituted forSchluppat 74'minutes

9J Ayew

22ÉdouardBooked at 22mins Substituted forMatetaat 84'minutes

11Zaha

Substitutes

4Milivojevic

5Tomkins

14Mateta

15Schlupp

19Hughes

21Johnstone

23Ebiowei

44Riedewald

45Gordon

Chelsea

Formation 4-2-2-2

1Arrizabalaga

24James33Fofana6Thiago Silva21Chilwell

8Kovacic5Jorginho

29Havertz19Mount

17Sterling9Aubameyang

1Arrizabalaga

24James

33Fofana

6Thiago SilvaBooked at 32mins

21Chilwell

8KovacicBooked at 88mins

5Jorginho Substituted forLoftus-Cheekat 56'minutes

29Havertz Substituted forGallagherat 76'minutes

19MountBooked at 52mins Substituted forPulisicat 84'minutes

17Sterling

9Aubameyang Substituted forBrojaat 75'minutes

Substitutes

10Pulisic

12Loftus-Cheek

13Bettinelli

14Chalobah

18Broja

22Ziyech

23Gallagher

26Koulibaly

28Azpilicueta

Live Text

Match ends, Crystal Palace 1, Chelsea 2.

90'+5'

Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 1, Chelsea 2.

90'+3'

Foul by Raheem Sterling (Chelsea).

90'+3'

Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90'+2'

Foul by Ben Chilwell (Chelsea).

90'+2'

Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90'

Goal! Crystal Palace 1, Chelsea 2. Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Christian Pulisic.

89'

Armando Broja (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.

89'

Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).

88'

Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

88'

Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).

88'

Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

86'

Attempt missed. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Michael Olise with a cross following a corner.

86'

Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

85'

Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Raheem Sterling.

84'

Substitution, Crystal Palace. Will Hughes replaces Cheick Oumar Doucouré.

84'

Substitution, Chelsea. Christian Pulisic replaces Mason Mount.

84'

Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta replaces Odsonne Édouard.

79'

Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).

79'

Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.

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