Noni Madueke scored an 89th-minute winner from the penalty spot to help Chelsea overcome Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.
The hosts deservedly went in front in the 13th minute after good work from Malo Gusto ended with the full-back squaring the ball to Mykhailo Mudryk to net from close range.
But Palace levelled on the stroke of half-time when Michael Olise brought down Jordan Ayew’s cross and smashed an effort into the bottom corner.
Chelsea created numerous chances throughout, and it looked as if Mauricio Pochettino’s side would pay for their wasteful finishing for a second consecutive match.
Nicolas Jackson thought he had scored in the 77th minute when he poked in Thiago Silva’s deep cross but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruled the forward was just offside.
But Chelsea got the break they needed in a tense finale when the VAR spotted Eberechi Eze had fouled substitute Madueke just inside the area and the England Under-21 forward expertly sent Palace keeper Dean Henderson the wrong way from the spot.
Chelsea wasteful, but enjoy home comfort
Chelsea were certainly good value for their win, even if it appeared wasteful finishing would be the theme for the Blues as it has been so often this season.
“We created many chances,” manager Pochettino told BBC Match of the Day. “I am really pleased with the performance.”
His side could have taken the lead minutes before their early opener when Ian Maatsen went through on goal and his effort deflected off Henderson and was cleared off the line by Tyrick Mitchell.
The hosts continued to provide the greater threat after Mudryk’s strike, with the Ukrainian forward forcing Henderson into a diving save, Christopher Nkunku heading over from close range and Jackson dragging another effort wide.
They even had an early penalty shout when Nkunku went down in the box under pressure from Chris Richards, but the VAR upheld referee Michael Salisbury’s call to dismiss Chelsea’s appeals.
Henderson also did well to palm away Nkunku’s cross in the second half, with Jackson lurking behind him, and substitute Armando Broja struck the side-netting.
And Jackson wasted a glorious chance with 15 minutes left when he burst through on goal, but dinked his finish off target.
This was Chelsea’s third successive home Premier League win, but only their sixth in 2023 as they moved up to 10th in the table.
“The Premier League is really tough and we need to be consistent,” added Pochettino.
“The first half of the season has been really up and down and it’s been tough and difficult. But we’re positive and we need to show that we can compete.”
‘Tough pill to swallow’ as Palace winless in eight
Palace have not won since 4 November and Roy Hodgson’s side are now just three points above third-bottom Luton Town, who have played one game fewer.
They may have been second-best for much of the match, but the Eagles still had several opportunities after the restart and had more shots overall than their hosts.
Eze fired a free-kick just wide and Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta both forced Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic into fine stops at his near post.
“I think the team’s performance meant it was a tough pill to swallow,” Hodgson told BBC Match of the Day. “We’re near the bottom of table but the fact is we have had a difficult run of games.”
Since their last success there have been reasons to be cheerful for Palace, including a battling point at Manchester City in December.
But there have also been gut-wrenching, last-gasp defeats against Liverpool and now Chelsea.
Palace need to get back to winning ways and quickly. They are eight league matches without a victory (D3 L5), their longest run without a win under Hodgson since an eight-game streak in June and July, 2020.
“As far as I am concerned there are 38 games in a season and we’ve played half of them,” added the Palace boss.
“Are we good enough? Do we have good enough players? I have every confidence the team will get victories.”
