Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea: Conor Gallagher scores twice as Blues pile pressure on Roy Hodgson

Conor Gallagher scored twice as Chelsea came from behind to win at Selhurst Park and pile the pressure on Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side could not muster a shot until the 45th minute as Palace looked to frustrate their opponents and pick up a much-needed Premier League win.

However, it took just two minutes of the second half for the visitors to level as Malo Gusto’s cross was met by Gallagher – who was on loan at Palace in 2021-22 – and he smashed the ball past Dean Henderson to level the scores.

Chelsea continued to push for a winner and Gallagher secured it in stoppage time with a neat first-time finish, before Enzo Fernandez added a third with seconds remaining.

Gallagher takes centre stage against former club

Chelsea came into this match on the back of an impressive FA Cup win at Aston Villa and made only the one enforced change with centre-back Thiago Silva coming in for the injured Benoit Badiashile.

The visitors struggled to break down Palace in the first half despite dominating possession and completing 420 passes, the most in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game without having a shot on target since the 2003-04 season.

Pochettino’s side have struggled to penetrate teams that have defended in a low block this season and found it hard to find ways through Hodgson’s stubborn Palace side.

The Chelsea manager made changes at half-time and with Christopher Nkunku coming on and Cole Palmer moving out to the right they seemed to be more fluent in attack.

It was Palmer who slid in a cross from wide to set up Gallagher’s second, an excellent, drilled finish into the bottom corner.

The England midfielder now has three goals in two games after scoring in the cup at Villa, and will hope that his first league goals of the season kickstart a run of form for him and his team.

Chelsea travel to Manchester City on Saturday before taking on Liverpool in the EFL Cup final and Leeds in the FA Cup, in what will be a crucial two weeks of their season.

Late goals put Hodgson future back under spotlight

Palace came into this match on the back of a damaging defeat to rivals Brighton, with manager Hodgson under increasing pressure.

The Eagles defended well in the first period and Gallagher’s dragged shot wide was the only chance they had to deal with in the opening 45 minutes.

Hodgson handed first Premier League starts to January deadline day signing Adam Wharton and Brazilian Matheus Franca as he looked to deal with the absence of key men Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.

It looked as though those changes had worked after Lerma’s searing 25-yard strike but conceding just 80 seconds into the second half undid all the good work.

Supporters once again held banners displaying their frustration with the club and after the late goals gave the points to Chelsea, the questions about Hodgson’s future will only mount.