Conor Gallagher joked his first Chelsea goal just "had to come against Crystal Palace " after he scored the late winner against his former club to seal a vital 2-1 win.
The 22-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Selhurst Park, delivered the knockout blow as he crashed home a 90th minute winner to earn Graham Potter his first win as Chelsea boss. With the scores level, Gallagher came inside onto his favourite right foot before curling the ball into the top corner.
It was a fine moment for Gallagher, who claimed Palace's Player of the Year award for his performances last season. Now, back at his parent club, Gallagher showed new boss Potter what he is all about with a terrific strike - his first for the Blues.
When asked about his goal after the game, Gallagher said: "It's crazy to be honest. Of course I was dying to get on the pitch, I felt I could help the team win the game and thankfully got the chance to get a shot off and it went in and it had to come against Crystal Palace.
"I loved my time here, and the fans were just brilliant, they were clapping me after the game after I'd just scored - it's just unreal, I'm so thankful of how they treated me when I was here. Now I'm buzzing to get the three points, buzzing to get my first goal for Chelsea and hopefully it’s time to kick on from here.
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"I got a bit jammy to be honest, because it went through JP's (Mateta's) legs. I didn't mean to, I didn’t know he was there. I'm just buzzing it went in."
After a slow start, it was Palace who took the lead in the game through Odsonne Eduoard, who capitalised on a mistake before firing home. But the Blues responded well to going behind and equalised just before the break as Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang slotted home his first goal since returning to the Premier League.
Then Gallagher's moment came towards the end, as he nutmegged Jean Phillipe-Mateta, before curling into the top corner. He admitted that it could be a massive turning point in his Chelsea career.
He said: "It's massive, just to get that confidence back up a bit, I’m always available when the manager needs me whether I start or on the bench I’ll always be raring to go, I just have to try and be effective as I was today."
Chelsea will now be looking to back up that win in their next fixture when they face AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
