LONDON: Chelsea moved up to third in the Premier League table after holding out to win a 3-2 thriller at Crystal Palace on Tuesday.
Frank Lampard’s men edged closer to sealing a place in next season’s Champions League as a seventh win in eight games takes them two points ahead of Leicester.
Chelsea opened up a five-point lead on fifth-placed Manchester United.
“In the last five minutes maybe (we were lucky), but we should have had the game under much more control,” said Lampard. “In those last moments it was nerve-wracking for us.”
The Blues were fortunate when opening the scoring at Selhurst Park as former Chelsea captain Gary Cahill fell to the ground clutching his hamstring to allow Willian to tee up Olivier Giroud for his fourth goal in six games.
Chelsea have already stated their intent to move up a level next season and challenge Liverpool and Manchester City for the title with the signings of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.
Their arrival could have put Christian Pulisic’s place in the team under threat, but after an injury-disrupted start to his first season in England, the American is beginning to flourish.
