Beaten Chelsea singing the Blues
PALACE REVOLUTION STUNS BOSS CONTE 10-point lead over Spurs cut to seven with nine games left.
Antonio Conte admitted Chelsea’s shock 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace has blown the Premier League title race wide open. Conte’s side went into Saturday’s clash with relegation-threatened Palace sitting 10 points clear at the top of the table and having won their previous 13 fixtures at Stamford Bridge.
But after Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke fired Palace to victory and second-placed Tottenham won at Burnley, Chelsea’s lead was cut to seven points with nine games remaining.
And Blues boss Conte conceded the battle is back on, with his players needing to bounce back when Manchester City visit Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
“For others this is a good result. It makes it more interesting, the championship,” Conte said.
Cesc Fabregas had put Chelsea ahead after five minutes, but Zaha equalised four minutes later and Benteke gave Palace a lead they would hold onto in the 11th minute.
Ivory Coast winger Zaha was the game’s outstanding player and Palace manager Sam Allardyce believes the player is now delivering on his undoubted potential.
“Wilf must feel good about himself. It’s about consistent performances at the moment,” he said.
“It was there before he left for the Ivory Coast. He’s continued to show that with them, and he showed it today with his performance and quality of football in possession.
“There’s a man on the other side, an outstanding individual like Wilf in Eden Hazard. His ability is something Wilf could look at to try and match.
“Him and Christian were our match-winners, and protecting our lead was our goalkeeper and the defence.
“Wilf is already realising his potential with the way he’s playing. Potential is becoming a reality.”
Palace remain just four points clear of the bottom three, but Allardyce believes his players are growing in confidence.
And he singled out French centreback Mamadou Sakho for praise, although any talk of securing a permanent move for the onloan Liverpool defender will have to wait until the club’s relegation battle has been concluded. – AFP