February 13, (THEWILL) – A brace from Conor Gallagher, including a late winner, condemned Crystal Palace to a 3-1 home defeat against Chelsea on Monday night. The result leaves Roy Hodgson’s relegation-threatened side languishing just three points above the bottom three.
Palace took a surprise lead on the half-hour mark through Jefferson Lerma’s thunderous long-range strike – the Colombian’s first goal for the club. However, Gallagher equalised for Chelsea just two minutes into the second half, punishing his former loan side.
The Eagles looked set to hold on for a precious point as the game entered the final 10 minutes. However, Gallagher struck again in the 90th minute before new signing Enzo Fernandez added gloss to the scoreline in added time.
The defeat capped a difficult week for Palace, who were accused of lacking fight after losing 4-1 to rivals Brighton and Hove Albion last Saturday. Despite fan protests, a depleted Eagles side gave their all. Yet, Chelsea’s superior quality told in the end.
The result lifts Chelsea into the top half of the table while Palace remain in 15th place. Next up is a daunting trip to fellow strugglers Everton, who are 18th in the standings.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
