CrystalPalace

Conor Gallagher haunts Crystal Palace by salvaging late victory for Chelsea

12-Feb-2024 22:08:37 | The Guardian

This result must have felt like a punch in the guts for Roy Hodgson. In his 200th match in charge, Crystal Palace succumbed to a 13th successive defeat against Chelsea having taken the lead through Jefferson Lerma’s first goal for the club, after two strikes from Conor Gallagher.

It was the cruellest blow for a manager who has already suffered so much this season as his team have struggled with injuries and a poor run of form that now stretches to two wins in their last 14 matches. But for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who wrapped up the points in stoppage time with a third from Enzo Fernández, this was an unbelievable turnaround after a first half that had seen Chelsea plumb new depths. Yet it was Gallagher – who scored eight times while on loan at Palace and now has four in six appearances against them – who sparked the revival that left Hodgson’s position in jeopardy once more.