Chelsea 3-1 Crystal Palace: Morata brace sinks Eagles as Hazard returns

Eden Hazard returned to Chelsea and had an instant impact as an Alvaro Morata brace and Pedro strike sank Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

The Belgian was introduced on the hour mark after Andros Townsed had equalised for Palace and instantly set up Morata for his second as the tide swung the hosts’ way.

It was perhaps harsh on Palace who had been more than a match for Chelsea, but crucially some poor defending let them down.

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There were no changes from Chelsea’s starting lineup that won at Burnley last weekend, save for Eden Hazard returning to the bench after missing a few weeks with a back injury.

Roy Hodgson’s only change will have made Palace Twitter happy as he gave summer signing Max Meyer only his second league start since arriving on a free transfer.

So far this season he has seemed reluctant to use Meyer much outside of an impact substitute, with man fans online pleading with the 71-year-old to give the German a chance.

Meyer was instrumental in helping change the game when he was introduced from the bench against Arsenal a week ago, but struggled to have much of an impact three days later as Palace crashed out of the Carabao Cup at Middlesbrough.

However, he started at Stamford Bridge and those Eagles fans online will have been feeling particularly smug in the opening few minutes as Palace started brightly with Meyer at the centre of it all.

His jinking run into the box after two minutes bamboozled Antonio Rudiger but couldn’t find a team-mate, and had a great chance 19 minutes in to open his account but could only blaze Wilf Zaha’s square pass well over the bar.

Meyer than had a chance blocked in the box as Hodgson’s men looked to frustrate their hosts but a few minutes later came the opener and, of course, it was down the other end.

Alvaro Morata prodded home after James Tomkins’ could only clear Pedros’ cross right back to the little Spaniard who found his compatriot for his fourth goal in seven games. To be fair to Palace it was Chelsea’s first shot on goal in the game.

Willian then had the ball in the back of the next a few minutes later but was rightly flagged offside with Pedro the creator again before Morata headed over as Chelsea began to assert their dominance.

But just as they had in the first half, Palace started the second 45 strongly only this time they actually scored. Andros Townsend, who has been criticised for his lack of goals recently, played a neat one-two with James McArthur and drilled an excellent shot into the bottom corner.

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It sent the away end into a frenzy and, weirdly, woke the home fans up finally too as the noise finally reverberated around Stamford Bridge and not just the away end.

The away side didn’t sit comfortably on that goal and pressed for another; Meyer drilling at Kepa from a tight angle after neat link up play with Zaha and Patrick van Aanholt and the home fans grew more and more frustrated.

Wayne Hennessey was forced to deny a Morata header at point-blank range but the linesman’s flag had correctly gone up against the Spaniard in the six yard box.

The Welshman went one further i the 62nd minute as he spectacularly parred David Luiz’ header away for a corner, which the Brazilian then headed over from.

Chelsea fans finally made a bit of noise as Hazard appeared from the bench with 25 minutes to go, replacing Willian, and he made an instant impact, curling a free-kick to the back post where Morata was unmarked and prodded home his second of the game.

Pedro then added a third with 15 minutes to go, prodding in Marcos Alonso’s cross to leave plenty of question marks at Palace’s defence on all three goals.

Morata had a late chance for a hat-trick after being played in by Hazard but tried to be cute and lob it over Hennessey, only for the Palace keeper to collect easily.

The win takes Chelsea joint second with Liverpool in second place in the Premier League table, but leaves Palace 14th, just three points above the drop.