Chelsea won against Crystal Palace to move fifth on the Premier League table with a game in hand. The result was Graham Potter’s first win for Chelsea and in the Premier League.
The blues had to fight from a goal down after conceding early within the first 10 minutes of the game after Odsonne Édouard pounced on Jordan Ayew’s cross. Chelsea turns the game around with goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 38th minute and Conor Gallagher in the 90th minute.
Conor Gallagher’s winning goal against Crystal Palace was his first goal for Chelsea. The goal will boast Gallagher’s confidence as the 22-year-old return to Chelsea has not gone as planned.
Conor had an excellent season at Crystal Palace on loan, winning Crystal Palace player of the season after 8 goals in 34 matches.
Gallagher had revealed that Graham Potter told him he has an important role for him when he joined Chelsea.
What did Conor Gallagher say?
Speaking after scoring the winning goal for Chelsea against Crystal Palace, Gallagher explained: “He said I’ve got a really important role and I need to keep working hard, remembering who I am and what I am best at, and when given the chance to be as effective as I can be.
“I just need to keep impressing the manager.
“There are a lot of top players in the Chelsea squad so it’s not going to be easy to get the game time I want but I’m going to do my best to show that I’m ready, and I want to be as effective as I can when given the opportunity.”
Reacting to his winning goal, he added: “As soon as I got that half-a-yard I was thinking just shoot and as soon as it left my boot, I was thinking it has a chance.
“It is a special moment for me to score my first goal for Chelsea, an amazing feeling, it is a boyhood dream of mine, and of course, it had to come against Palace,’ the 22-year-old said with a little wry smile.
“I have to be so thankful for the Palace fans, first because of the reception they gave me before the game and even after the game after I scored.
“To score my first goal is massive, just to get that confidence back up a little bit, and hopefully I can push on now.
“I am always available when the manager needs me. If I am starting or coming off the bench, I will always be raring to go, so hopefully, when I am on the pitch I can be as effective as in this game.”
Meanwhile, Graham Potter has praised Ben Chilwell for his performance against Crystal Palace.
“It’s not an easy place to play because they put two wingers up against you at times; players like [Wilfried] Zaha are hard to control,” Graham Potter said.
” It’s his first 90 minutes in the Premier League, but he had 90 minutes behind closed doors before he went away for the international break. He has come back from a long injury but he has a fantastic attitude, is a great kid, and am enjoying working with him.”
