Pochettino hails ‘priceless’ Gallagher after Chelsea win

Maurico Pochettino hailed Conor Gallagher as “priceless” after the midfielder helped Chelsea to a 3-1 victory at Crystal Palace.

Gallagher netted twice, equalising after Jefferson Lerma’s superb opener and then putting the Blues ahead in stoppage time before Enzo Fernandez added a third.

Boss Pochettino declared: “He’s a player with great commitment and it’s priceless to have a player like him. I’m so happy for him and so happy for the team.”

There was speculation about Gallagher’s future during the recent transfer window.

He stayed at Chelsea and now there is speculation that he could sign a new contract. His current deal expires next year.

Pochettino explained: “What he told me is (he wanted) to stay at Chelsea. Then it’s about him and the club.

“I am not suffering about this type of thing. He still has one year more on his contract, but that is a matter of him and the club.”

The win moved Pochettino’s side up a place in the Premier League table, to 10th, and they have now won nine of their past 13 matches.

They were poor in the first half and fell behind on the half-hour mark.

After Noni Madueke gave the ball away near the edge of the penalty area, Lerma thumped an unstoppable strike beyond keeper Dorde Petrovic.

Chelsea levelled less than two minutes into the second half. Malo Gusto did well on the right and found Gallagher, who fired home.

Cole Palmer set up both the all-important late goals, pulling the ball back to Gallagher and then finding Fernandez, who dodged a challenge and finished coolly.

“We were disappointed with the first half. The first half wasn’t great. We played very slow and were so flat,” Pochettino admitted.

“But we started the second half like we should have started the game from the first minute.

“In the end, I think we deserved the victory. It’s a victory that we needed.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea are assessing Thiago Silva after the veteran defender picked up a groin injury.