Rosenior proud of clinical Chelsea performance

Liam Rosenior praised the clinical nature of Chelsea's performance as they ran out 3-1 winners over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Estevao capitalised on a Jaydee Canvot error to open the scoring, and turned provider for Joao Pedro to double the lead five minutes after half-time.

Enzo Fernandez rolled home from the penalty spot when Canvot was pinged for handball, with Chelsea's only disappointment coming from Chris Richards' late consolation after Adam Wharton was sent off.

The Blues had 10 shots, getting six of those on target, for an accumulative expected goals figure of 2.2.

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the game, Blues boss Rosenior said: "I'm very pleased. 

"This is always a very difficult place to come. Crystal Palace are a very good team. What the players have given is outstanding. 

"It's frustrating to not have a clean sheet in the last few minutes – I wanted three in a row and we should've got one, we were 3-0 up against 10 men.

"But there's so much good. I thought we defended from the front, we were organised and were very clinical. All credit to the lads. 

"We can be better on the ball, especially in the first half but in terms of what I want to see from a team performance, it was a very good one."

There was certainly a Brazilian flavour about Chelsea's win, thanks to the contributions of Estevao and Joao Pedro.

Indeed, Estevao (18 years, 276 days) both scored and provided an assist in the same Premier League match for the first time, becoming the youngest player to do so since Evan Ferguson (18y 76d) versus Everton in January 2023, while he is the youngest Chelsea player to do so since Neil Shipperley (18y 164d) against Wimbledon in April 1993.

Joao Pedro, meanwhile, has both scored more goals (12) and been involved in more goals (16) than any other player across all competitions for the Blues since making his Chelsea debut in July 2025.

"We knew this would be a tough game, they have a strong team. We knew we needed to win second balls and fight the whole game. We scored three goals, conceded, but got the three points," Joao Pedro told Sky Sports.

"In the first half we could have played more with the ball, and did not control the game but at half-time the gaffer told us to keep going, play with intensity and when we scored the second we could breathe a bit."

Asked about Chelsea's penalty, which was awarded after Canvot accidentally blocked his shot with his arm, Joao Pedro added: "As soon as I controlled the ball I took a shot as quickly as possible. 

"I saw his arm away from his body, that's why I asked for handball. The ref gave it and we scored."