GEBRUS

They could have been out of sight by the break had Olivier Giroud added to their two first-half goals (25, 32), but he was denied by a goal-line clearance by James Tomkins and later struck a post after the interval.

Palace improved immeasurably thanks to the half-time return of Wilfried Zaha from a long-term injury and saw Alexander Sorloth hammer a shot against the woodwork, before his seemingly legitimate late goal was chalked off for a foul in the build-up that looked extremely soft.

 

The Eagles did pull one back in the final minute when Patrick van Aanholt slotted beyond Thibaut Courtois from close range, but Chelsea hung on to move back within two points of fourth-placed Tottenham.

The hosts had lost four of their previous five league games but immediately effused the kind of confidence of their title-winning side of last season. They were lacking a final ball to really test Wayne Hennessey, before a stroke of luck put them ahead as Willian cut inside and saw his drilled shot strike Kelly and go in off the post.

 

It was two seven minutes later when a flowing move ended with Willian feeding Zappacosta, and despite Kellys valiant efforts, he could only clear the ball against Hennessey, and in turn himself, before it trickled over the line.

 

The onslaught continued as the superb Tomkins denied Giroud what appeared a certain goal with a sliding block on the line, but Palace looked a different side once Zaha was brought on at the break.

They struck the woodwork within two minutes when Chelsea gifted Sorloth the ball and the Norweigan beat Courtois, but not the post, from an inviting angle, before Giroud hit the frame of the goal with an even easier opportunity from eight yards.

Palace thought they had given themselves a lifeline when Sorloth fired home from a free-kick, but referee Anthony Taylor harshly punished a high foot in the Chelsea box from Jairo Riedewald on Gary Cahill when contact looked to be minimal at best.

They did get a goal back in the final minute of normal time as Van Aanholt swept home from close range, but could not find an equaliser to take them level on points with 17th-placed Southampton.