Chelsea reclaimed their position in the upper half of the Premier League standings following a somewhat unconvincing yet fruitful performance against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Despite dominating possession for much of the first half, Chelsea struggled to generate scoring opportunities and appeared devoid of creativity in the attacking third. As the match progressed, Crystal Palace gained momentum and seized the lead courtesy of a remarkable strike from Jefferson Lerma, who unleashed a powerful shot past Dorde Petrovic to register his inaugural goal for the Eagles.
Following halftime, Conor Gallagher, who had managed Chelsea’s sole shot in the opening 45 minutes, capitalized on a pass from Malo Gusto to equalize for the visitors, injecting a glimmer of hope into their prospects.
The pace of the game slowed, seemingly destined for a draw until Raheem Sterling released Cole Palmer on a counterattack. Palmer then found Gallagher at the edge of the box, where the former Palace midfielder clinically dispatched a low shot to inflict anguish upon his former club. With the match slipping away, Palace conceded once more shortly after, courtesy of a superb finish from Enzo Fernandez.