Gallagher scores late Chelsea winner at Palace

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Crystal Palace 1 Chelsea 2

Conor Gallagher struck late to hand Graham Potter all three points in his first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea.

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang had scored his first Chelsea goal in the first half to level matters after Odsonne Edouard’s early opener, before substitute Gallagher, who was previously on loan at Palace, curled a superb strike into the top corner from distance in added time of the second half to secure the win for Potter.

Edouard opened the scoring after just eight minutes, prodding home from Jordan Ayew’s whipped cross on the right-hand side.

Chelsea almost levelled on 20 minutes when Mason Mount nodded just wide from Kai Havertz’s cross, before Raheem Sterling poked wide from close range after seeing his initial effort from Reece James’ low ball across the box blocked.

Thiago Silva could have been sent off 10 minutes before the break when he deliberately handled the ball after being pressured into losing possession by Ayew but, following a VAR check, referee Chris Kavanagh opted to stick with his original decision of a yellow card.

And Silva was then involved in his side’s equaliser on 38 minutes, heading James’ long diagonal ball into the path of Aubameyang, who turned and fired a brilliant first-time strike into the bottom corner.

Potter’s decision to introduce Gallagher with 15 minutes remaining of the second half then paid off as he curled in from distance.

Chelsea: Kepa, James, Silva, Fofana, Chilwell, Kovacic, Jorginho (Loftus-Cheek 54’), Mount (Pulisic 83’), Sterling, Havertz (Gallagher 75’), Aubameyang (Broja 75’)