Chelsea Enhance Top Four Hopes With Narrow Victory Over Crystal Palace

By Max Wise

N'golo Kante's early second-half strike ensured Chelsea enhanced their Champions League prospects with a narrow 1-0 victory away at Crystal Palace.

The result moves the Blues to 43 points, cementing their place on the fourth position, at least for now, with a crucial five-point buffer between them and fifth-placed, Arsenal.

N'Golo Kante's more advanced position this season has been met with some criticism by Chelsea fans, but he now has three goals in the 2018/19 campaign, his best return in a top-flight season.

Palace sat deep defensively throughout, relying on counter breaks powered by the pace of Wilfred Zaha and the trickery of Andros Townsend.

N'golo Kante went close to breaking the deadlock for the visitors in the 18th minute when he linked up well with fellow Frenchman, Olivier Giroud, but his shot from outside the area drifted wide.

Willian's 35th-minute free kick found enough curl to beat Vicente Guaita in the Palace goal, but the strike clattered into the upright.

Chelsea hit the upright again three minutes later after Barkley's speculative kick from a corner smashed into the post.

Chelsea found a way through Palace's well-marshaled defence in the 50th-minute courtesy N'golo Kante's good finish. 

The French World Cup winner latched onto a lofted ball from David Luiz, controlled on his chest and wrapped his foot around it to beat the goalkeeper.