Player ratings: Gallagher impresses against former club in Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea

In a game against his former loan team, Conor Gallagher secured two goals in the second half, aiding Chelsea's crucial 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Despite falling behind when Jefferson Lerma scored a stunning long-range shot at the 30-minute mark, Chelsea upped their game in the second half. Two minutes after half-time, Gallagher equalized the score.

Ex-Eagles' midfielder, Gallagher, sealed the victory with a goal in the 91st minute. Enzo Fernandez then further increased the lead with a stylish finishing shot.

Despite recent home league wins, Palace had to play without key players like Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Marc Guehi, while January's recruit, Adam Wharton, debuted for the Eagles. Chelsea, on the other hand, was under pressure having lost five of their past six away league matches, putting manager Mauricio Pochettino in the firing line.

The initial 15 minutes showed the visiting team dominating possession, while the hosts tried to move the ball forward rapidly when opportunities arose.

A mistake by Malo Gusto near midway through the first half saw Palace on the brink of taking the lead, when he allowed Jean-Philippe Mateta a threatening shot, which however ended in the safe hands of Djordje Petrovic, Chelsea's goalie.

Such warning was ignored by Chelsea, although Lerma's impressive shot was something to witness. Initiating a move before cutting inside, he cracked a long-range shot right into the corner, catching Petrovic off guard.

Chelsea managed to bounce back from a dismal start as Aston Villa's previous week's defeat in the FA Cup took some pressure off Pochettino and his team. However, Matheus Franca could have worsened their situation had his wayward shot from Mateta's pass found the net.

Only right before half time did Chelsea showcase a promising attacking maneuver, where Noni Madueke found a gap and passed to Gallagher. However, the ex-Palace loanee missed.

Christopher Nkunku replaced Madueke at half-time as Chelsea sought to level the scores. The goal came soon after the restart, a minor delay caused by undisclosed technical issues with the matchday officials.

A coordinated move involving Gusto and Moises Caicedo created the perfect setting for Gallagher to half-volley powerfully and equalize the score.

Chelsea, who had had a rough start, improved post the equalizer, creating numerous opportunities, although the attempts were thwarted by Mateta and Dean Henderson ahead of Cole Palmer's attack.

The visitors capitalized on their late-game momentum when Gallagher came to the rescue. Lurking on the fringe of the box, Gallagher took a pass from Palmer to shoot into the far corner, securing Chelsea's lead in the 91st minute.

The intense need to equalize opened up opportunities for Palmer. After dodging pass Daniel Munoz, Palmer passed to Fernandez who deceived Henderson with his gaze before blasting a shot in at the near post.

The victory has pushed Chelsea back amongst the top ten in the Premier League, whereas, Palace now stand 15th, only a small five points cushion above the relegation line.

Goalkeeper Dean Henderson scored a 5/10 for a somewhat haphazard distribution in defense but redeemed himself with some commendable saves. On his home debut, Daniel Munoz scored a 6/10. Despite some committed defending and relentless running, Fernandez had the better of him towards the end.