April 10 2021

Christian Benteke

Crystal Palace were defeated 4-1 at home to Chelsea at Selhurst Park.

Top-four chasing Chelsea dominated from the first whistle and pretty much won the game inside the first 10 minutes.

Kai Havertz got the opening goal after just eight minutes with a low finish after Palace failed to clear their lines.

Two minutes later, Christian Pulisic smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range following a fine Chelsea team move.

Kurt Zouma rose above Gary Cahill to nod home Mason Mount's free-kick for 3-0 to the Blues on the half-hour mark.

Vicente Guaita made a smart stop and there was a goalline clearance from Patrick van Aanholt to keep the score down before the break.

The Eagles pulled a goal back with a Christian Benteke header off substitute Jeffrey Schlupp's cross in the 63rd minute.

But Chelsea increased the lead with their fourth goal of the day through Pulisic's far-post finish from Reece James' centre on 78 minutes to wrap up an easy win.

Palace: Guaita, Van Aanholt, Cahill, Kouyate, Ward, Milivojevic, Riedewald (McCarthy 59), Eze (Schlupp 59), Ayew (Townsend 76), Zaha, Benteke.

Not used: Butland, Mitchell, Dann, Kelly, Rak-Sakyi, Mateta.

Chelsea: Mendy, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Chilwell, Zouma, Kovacic (Ziyech 83), Jorginho (Kante 61), Mount, Pulisic, Hudson-Odoi (James 76), Havertz.

Not used: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Emerson, Werner, Giroud, Abraham.