Gallagher’s brace seals comeback victory for Chelsea against Crystal Palace

Conor Gallagher scored twice to lead Chelsea to a comeback victory against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, intensifying the scrutiny on Palace manager Roy Hodgson.

Despite dominating the first half, Chelsea fell behind when Jefferson Lerma netted for Palace in the 30th minute. Palace aimed to frustrate their opponents and secure a crucial win to widen the gap from the relegation zone, holding Chelsea without a shot on target until the 45th minute.

However, just two minutes into the second half, Chelsea equalized as Malo Gusto’s bouncing cross found Gallagher, who had previously been on loan at Palace, and he smashed the ball past Dean Henderson. The Blues continued to press for a winner, and Gallagher secured it in stoppage time with a precise first-time finish. Enzo Fernandez added another goal, lifting Chelsea to 10th in the table.

Chelsea, coming off an impressive FA Cup win at Aston Villa, struggled to break down Palace in the first half despite dominating possession. Pochettino’s halftime changes, bringing on Christopher Nkunku and shifting Cole Palmer to the right, improved their attacking fluency.

Palmer provided the assist for Gallagher’s second goal, a drilled finish into the bottom corner. With three goals in two games, Gallagher aims to maintain his form for Chelsea, who face critical matches against Manchester City, Liverpool in the EFL Cup final, and Leeds in the FA Cup in the coming weeks.

On the other hand, Palace, coming from a damaging defeat to Brighton, defended well in the first half, with Lerma’s 25-yard strike giving them the lead. However, conceding early in the second half undid their efforts, raising questions about Hodgson’s future as the late goals secured the win for Chelsea.

Hodgson, under increasing pressure, acknowledged the team’s injury and selection challenges. Despite fans displaying frustration with banners, Hodgson hopes they consider these factors and continue to support the team. Palace remains 15th in the table, facing Everton and Burnley in their upcoming fixtures.