CHELSEA left it late but beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the Premier League thanks to Noni Madueke’s late penalty.
Mykhailo Mudryk put the Blues ahead with a tap-in but Palace answered back through Michael Olise.
Madueke then came on late in the game before winning and scoring a 90th-minute penalty.
- Kick-off time: 7.30pm GMT
- Stream: Amazon Prime Video
- Chelsea XI: Petrovic, Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Colwill, Caicedo, Gallagher, Maatsen, Mudryk, Jackson, Nkunku
- Palace XI: Henderson, Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Richards, Lerma, Eze, Olise, Ayew, Mateta
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Palace miss chance to upset The Blues
Crystal Palace will have not expected to control the game at Stamford Bridge for such large periods as they did.
Roy Hodgson will be frustrated that during those phases of play they could not get the goal he will have felt they deserved.
Eventually, they were downed by a sucker punch as Chelsea were awarded a late penalty and leave West London with nothing to show for their performance.
Chelsea secure important win in derby
The performance was not inspiring by any stretch of the imagination but this was a crucial three points for The Blues.
It moves them up into the top half of the table, still with a lot of ground to make up on the top six.
The Chelsea fans leave Stamford Bridge a little happier, courtesy of a Christmas gift from Eze as his foul led to the awarding of the penalty.
Gusto blows away Palace charge
Malo Gusto got forward to offer options when ever Chelsea came forward.
With Raheem Sterling suspended his energy is getting up and down the line caused the visitors problems.
He was integral in the first goal and managed to keep Ayew quiet for most of the game.
Man of the match performance from the young French full back.
FT: Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
Chelsea celebrate showing how much these three points mean to the home side.
It papers over the cracks for Mauricio Pochettino, they were far from convincing in this game.
Nevertheless is relieves some of the pressure on the Chelsea manager.
FT: Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
The referee brings the game to a close.
Chelsea take the three points but it was by no means a good performance from The Blues.
A rash challenge from Eberechi Eze gifted the hosts a penalty to win the game.
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
90+8. Madueke breaks for Chelsea and slots Jackson in.
He looks to hold the ball up, running the clock down, but the flag goes up for offside.
Palace counter and Olise looks to get a cross into the box but it is too deep and runs harmlessly out for a goal kick.
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
90+6. Eze and Olise combine well and the winger drills a left-footed shot at goal.
Petrovic gets down well to save and hold onto the ball.
The referee books both Pochettino and Gallagher with the visitors pressing now.
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
90+4. Disasi is fouled in the corner and the referee awards Chelsea a free kick.
The defender is fist pumping the air on the ground which says a lot about where this Chelsea team is at right now.
Gilchrist has come on for the hosts to try and see this game out.
Credit: Reuters Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
90+2. We are going to have eight additional minutes added.
Plenty of time for the visitors to try and find a goal.
Roy Hodgson will feel his side have done enough in this game to come away from Stamford Bridge with at least a point.
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
90. Madueke sends Henderson the wrong way and calming strokes the ball into the back of the net.
Crystal Palace have no arguments the challenge by Eze on Madueke was a definite penalty.
A real striker’s challenge from the Palace player.
Goal – Noni Madueke (Chelsea)
Penalty to Chelsea
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
86. Broja is found in the box again, he tries to take it past Andersen but the defender does well.
Palace counter attack and have numbers but Olise loses the ball in the penalty area.
Madueke is still down in the Palace penalty area, VAR will check to see whether Chelsea should have a penalty.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
84. Silva goes long again with a pass from defence.
He picks out Broja perfectly who controls the ball and gets a shot away.
It nestles into the side netting.
He really should be working the keeper from there at the very least.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
82. Silva makes a mistake and Palace break with Schlupp.
He finds Olise in the shot, whose shot is blocked but he gets another chance but Petrovic makes the save.
Crystal Palace are trying to find a second goal late on in this game.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
80. Well that celebration by Jackson was short-lived.
Looking at the replay it was a fairly easy decision to make, you wonder why VAR takes so long to make their decision.
On the balance of play, Crystal Palace do not deserve to be behind in this game.
Credit: AFP Goal disallowed – Offside
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
78. Thiago Silva lifts a cross into the box and Jackson slots home with a first time shot.
VAR is reviewing it, he may have been offside as the ball was played in.
This could be a huge decision as Stockley Park draw the lines.
Goal – Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
74. Madueke breaks with pace and is fouled by Richards.
The referee has no choice but to produce a card but pulls the red one out of his pocket by mistake.
Gallagher plays Jackson through on goal, he has to score you think but the striker lifts it wide of the goal.
Huge chance wasted.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
72. Broja goes down under the challenge of Guehi.
He needs to show more strength in the challenge, this Palace defence are physical and are happy to get stuck in.
Am not sure Henderson has touched the ball for Palace in this half.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
70. If Pochettino’s vision is to create a side with no penetration or creative threat in the final third, things are going according to plan.
You feel that Roy Hodgson’s side need to get a goal to capitalise on how poor the hosts have been in this second half.
Mudryk is down on the far side as he went down under the challenge of Clyne.
Nkunku and Mudryk come off for Broja and Madueke.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
68. Lavia picks the ball up in his own half and tries to play a direct pass forward.
Only he knows who he was trying to pass that to but it runs out of play for a Crystal Palace throw in.
Ayew twists and turns in the Chelsea box and gets a cross in but it is hacked clear by Lavia.
Credit: Reuters Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
66. Olise picks the ball up on the edge of his own box and skips past Lavia with ease.
He fouls the Palace man to stop him in his tracks.
Chelsea should have asked for some creativity for Christmas.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
64. With Caicedo and Lavia in the middle of the park, Chelsea have £170m worth of talent.
They do not look any more solid for it though.
Chelsea start to knock the ball around but just cannot find that killer pass and Palace clear with ease all too often.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
