Crystal Palace 2-1

Independent:

Chelsea 2 Crystal Palace 1
Ramires saves Blues from famous Palace coup
Chelsea recover from defeat to Stoke last week to record nervy victory over valiant Palace

By STEVE TONGUE

While statistically nothing like the goalfest at the Etihad, which took Manchester City briefly ahead of Chelsea in the table, this was an equally open game between two sides supposed to be a world apart in ambition and ability. As the result, uncertain until the end, was also a home win, Jose Mourinho’s side went second, two points behind Arsenal, who they play a week tomorrow.
It seemed impossible that the second half could remain scoreless as the ball fizzed from end to end, above all in a manic last few minutes. But Palace, invigorated under their new manager Tony Pulis, could not force an equaliser and Chelsea, well below their best, wasted the chances to apply a flattering gloss to the scoreline.
So all the goals came before the interval, Fernando Torres and Marouane Chamakh balancing things out before Ramires struck what proved to be a winner. Whereas Chamakh’s effort was his third in successive games, Torres still has only two in the League and together with Demba Ba, who came on towards the end, and Samuel Eto’o, who did not, Chelsea’s £62 million strikers have mustered a mere five between them.
Palace have tightened up in defence since Fulham put four past them at Selhurst Park, prompting Ian Holloway’s exit. Apart from delayed reactions when Torres nipped past them to score, the journeymen Danny Gabbidon and Damien Delaney handled themselves well and near the end Julian Speroni pulled off some heroic saves.
Palace, who have not won here since 1982, lost the powerful South African midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi in the first quarter of the game, but young Stuart O’Keefe proved a worthy replacement as the visiting midfield fought hard to prevent Eden Hazard and Willian, who was given the central midfield role behind Torres, ever taking complete control.    
“The result could have been 5-1 or 2-2,” Mourinho said, without admitting that the latter had been far more likely. Pulis could only see positives in Palace’s effort and performance. “We were a little bit on the back-foot in the first half but in the second half we pushed up and to be still in the game in the 94th minute was a credit to us,” he said.
Chelsea having conceded nine times as many goals as yesterday’s opponents in the last five games (nine against one) was one of the season’s more unlikely statistics, which was terminated when they took the lead after a dull opening quarter of an hour. Speroni only managed to push Willian’s drive onto a post and his defenders let him down in being far slower to follow in than Torres, who was there first to collect a tap-in.
The game was all the better for it, especially when Palace equalised. Chelsea had just seemed to be finding their rhythm, as Juan Mata’s clever flick allowed the rampaging Branislav Ivanovic to drive a shot just past the far post, and Michael Essien shot wide from outside the penalty area.
Just before the half-hour, however, the visitors produced a fine move across the width of the field, begun by Chamakh, who was then in position to finish it after Jason Puncheon had fed Joel Ward on the left for a low cross. Chamakh’s effort may have been slightly mishit but was still good enough to beat Petr Cech.
If that ensured that Chelsea would not improve on a poor League record of only one clean sheet since September, they did have the lead back within five minutes. Hazard had the better of Adrian Mariappa, not for the first or last time, and cut the ball back for Ramires to hit fiercely and with curl on it, Torres doing his bit by ducking out of the way.
The second half was played at a furious pace, and it was Palace who forced all the chances until the last 10 minutes. Cameron Jerome shot over the bar, Puncheon’s shot on a classic counter-attack was beaten away by Cech and then his free-kick after Essien’s foul led to a header by Delaney, clutched gratefully by the goalkeeper. With the vociferous visiting supporters behind Cech’s goal refusing to lose hope, Yannick Bolasie, on as a substitute, could not direct his header low enough and then Chelsea somehow survived an astonishing scramble.
Cech saved low down from O’Keefe, Ivanovic bravely blocked the midfielder’s follow-up and from the subsequent corner Delaney’s header slid only just wide of the near post. Chelsea had been attacking too, but without threatening until the last few minutes. After Oscar forced the ball forward, Ramires had only to roll it square to one of two colleagues, but allowed Speroni to parry. The goalkeeper then brought off an astonishing double save from André Schürrle and Ba.
Mourinho has said it would be “unacceptable” to finish the season without a trophy but his side will have to be sharper than this, starting in the Capital One Cup at  Sunderland this week.

Line-ups:
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Essien; Mata (Oscar, 61), Willian (Schürrle, 80), Hazard; Torres (Ba, 83).

Crystal Palace  (4-4-1-1): Speroni; Mariappa, Gabbidon, Delaney, Ward; Bannan (Bolasie, 50), Dikgacoi(O’Keefe, 24), Jedinak, Puncheon; Chamakh (Gayle, 88); Jerome.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Man of the match: Hazard (Chelsea)

Match rating: 7/10

===========

Observer:

Chelsea's Ramires scores winner in nervy win over Crystal Palace

David Hytner at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea did little to quicken the pulses and when they reflect upon a victory that was chiselled from Crystal Palace, their only real source of assurance will come from a glance at the Premier League table. It shows them sitting prettily in second place, two points off Arsenal's pace. Their next league fixture is at the Emirates on 23 December.
This was anything but pretty. Chelsea got what they needed yet it was not the antidote to their recent toils. So many of their big-name players were curiously off-key. It is rather stating the obvious but title-winning teams surely have to be better than this.
José Mourinho's players are stuttering and the manager was reduced to calling for the whistle at the end. Palace called the tune in the second half and only John Terry's remarkable intervention from in front of the line after the substitute Stuart O'Keefe had shot past Petr Cech prevented the visitors from restoring parity for a second time. Branislav Ivanovic blocked O'Keefe's second attempt.
Chelsea ought to have fashioned a little gloss to the scoreline at the very end but Ramires's fluffed square pass when clean through, and with the substitutes Oscar and Demba Ba free in front of goal, summed things up. Julián Speroni also made a marvellous double save to deny André Schürrle, another substitute, and Ba. For much of what had gone before in the second half, it was the visitors who looked the likelier scorers. Cameron Jerome fired high after an Ivanovic error; Jason Puncheon drew a save from Cech on the break and Damien Delaney headed at the goalkeeper from Puncheon's free-kick.
Tony Pulis covered every inch of the technical area and he went through agonies as his team went close to a reward. The substitute Yannick Bolasie, who made an impact, headed over when unmarked and, after the O'Keefe drama, Delaney flashed another header wide.
It was somehow disconcerting to see a Mourinho team allowing their opponents so much space. Palace have not won here for 31 years but they deserved something, as much for their spirit as anything else. They refused to play the role of stooges, despite falling behind twice. Mourinho lamented his team's inability to go 2-0 or 3-1 up, and they did have the chances in the first half. "It could have been 5-1 or 2-2," he said. It was the latter, though, that felt more likely as the game wore on.
Chelsea had shown moments of looseness in the early running. Never mind that David Luiz was nutmegged by Jerome – the Brazil defender also lost a dribble with a heavy touch. He had a strangely uncomfortable afternoon but he was not alone. Ramires and Juan Mata made errors on the ball.
Chelsea went ahead with their first attack of note and although Willian's 25-yard shot that created the goal was well struck, it was disappointing from Palace's point of view that Speroni got nothing more to it than fingertips to divert the ball on to the post. The rebound fell to Fernando Torres in a way that has not always happened during his Chelsea career and he gratefully accepted the good fortune, sweeping home his second league goal of the season.
The home team sparked briefly. Torres drove at Joel Ward, turning him inside and out; Mata's wonderful flick released Ivanovic, who shot narrowly wide, and Michael Essien tried his luck from distance. But Palace fashioned a foothold with their best moment of the afternoon. Marouane Chamakh moved the ball to Puncheon and headed for the penalty area and when Ward crossed, the striker volleyed low and left-footed into the corner of the net. It was Chamakh's third goal in three matches. He scores when he wants, according to the travelling Palace fans.
Chelsea responded. Pulis wanted a foul on Jerome at the other end but when Eden Hazard cut back to Ramires and Palace stood off him, the midfielder took full advantage. His right-footed shot from the edge of the box fizzed high past Speroni. Willian might have had another for Chelsea before the interval but he shot weakly when well-placed. Mourinho booted a kit-bag in frustration.
It was that kind of an afternoon for him. When the whistle did go and he had felt that surge of relief, he made for the Palace supporters to applaud them. They had been loud throughout to make the atmosphere in what was an entertaining derby. Chelsea squeaked home.

=====================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 2 Crystal Palace 1:
By Jeremy Wilson, Stamford Bridge

Jose Mourinho flounced and fulminated in his technical area like a dervish, suggesting none too subtly that this narrowest of victories over Crystal Palace was hardly a performance worthy of prospective champions. While Chelsea edged into second place on Saturday night, two points behind Arsenal, there is only so far they can advance on obduracy alone.
Of particular concern was the display by Fernando Torres: granted, he scored the opening goal, but it was scarcely more than a tap-in and his impact elsewhere proved so negligible that it was difficult to believe his team could continue this winter with such a mercurial talent as their solitary target man.
At one point the agitated Mourinho had to be admonished by fourth official Lee Mason for kicking a red bag full of medical equipment. It was that type of afternoon, as maddening for the manager as it was for home fans, restless for their lavishly gifted players to dispatch Palace with greater flourish.
True, these three points might be precious indeed in the final reckoning, but one would hardly have guessed from the atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge during a tense second half.
Mourinho took almost an hour to arrive for his post-match press conference as it became evident he had a detailed debrief to conduct.
With his best efforts at pseudo-profundity he said, with a shrug: “I was expecting an easy victory, I was expecting big problems. I was ready for both things. For me, this result could be 5-1 or it could be 2-2.”
Cries of “You’re not special any more” from the Palace contingent assailed him frequently, but Mourinho is reluctant to compare his second coming at Chelsea with the more garlanded glory years, describing this as a “transitional period” at the same time as keeping expectations high.
He explained: “Our philosophy of the game is different. Another club might say, 'Wait for the results to come in the near future’, but we don’t want to be like that. We want to fight for titles.”
If Chelsea are learning to value their ability to win ugly, then Palace can be grateful to the transformation wrought by Tony Pulis. Even though the manager has won only one of his first three matches in charge, there was none of the defeatism witnessed in the death throes of Ian Holloway’s tenure, as Marouane Chamakh and Jason Puncheon both offered great dynamism in attack.
“To be in the game for 94 minutes was testament to the effort of the players,” admitted Pulis, who saved particular praise for the revived Chamakh. “Marouane slows it down for us and gives us an opportunity to get runners up the pitch. It’s important for me that the players keep believing that they have got a chance.”
At least Chelsea’s first goal arrived with relative simplicity. Willian unleashed the initial strike, which Julian Speroni managed to touch on to the far post with a fingertip save, but in rushed Torres to lash the loose ball home. Mourinho, a study in sartorial elegance opposite the tracksuited Pulis, betrayed not a flicker of emotion, simply burying his hands deeper into the pockets of his voluminous coat.
Although Chelsea appeared far superior, an impression exemplified by Juan Mata’s exquisite backheel to take out two opponents at once, it was but an illusion.
As Palace toiled for the equaliser, Joel Ward swung a fine cross in from the left, with Chamakh arriving at precisely the right time to volley his finish beyond Petr Cech – the first time in his Premier League career that the Moroccan, rejuvenated under Pulis, has scored in three consecutive games.
The Palace manager celebrated exuberantly and yet his joy lasted a mere six minutes as Chelsea reasserted their authority. Eden Hazard, serenely composed throughout, took the ball inside the box and laid it back for Ramires to fire into the top corner in sumptuous style. Briefly Mourinho looked appeased, and yet his side struggled to make their advantage more emphatic.
For much of the second half Cech was forced to resist a Palace bombardment, and never more so than when he contrived a brilliant one-handed stop to keep out a powerful shot from Stuart O’Keefe. Ivanovic scrambled the ball clear, before Damien Delaney again went close with a header.
“Palace are well organised,” Mourinho acknowledged. “They always wait for the right moment to put the ball into the box.”
Fleetingly, Chelsea roused themselves in response to their supporters’ impatience, but the inspired Speroni thwarted substitutes Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba in swift succession.

Match details

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 7; Ivanovic 7, Luiz 6, Terry 6, Azpilicueta 6; Ramires 7, Essien 6; Mata 6 (Oscar 62), Willian 6 (Schürrle 82), Hazard 7; Torres 6 (Ba 85).
Subs: Schwarzer (g), Cole, Lampard, Eto’o.
Booked: Essien, Ivanovic.

Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Speroni 6; Mariappa 6, Gabbidon 5, Delaney 6, Ward 6; Bannan 5 (Bolasie 51), Jedinak 5, Dikgacoi 5 (O’Keefe 26), Puncheon 7; Chamakh 7 (Gayle 88), Jerome 6.
Subs: Price (g), Parr, Williams, Kebe.
Booked: Chamakh.

====================

Mail:

Chelsea 2 Crystal Palace 1: Ramires rescues Blues after in-form Chamakh gives Eagles hope
By Patrick Collins

The story of a significant afternoon was captured in a single image. Crystal Palace were pressing earnestly forward, Chelsea were defending with mounting desperation and Jose Mourinho was stamping his feet, waving his arms and imploring the referee to blow the final whistle.
An hour later, he was imparting his own elaborate spin on proceedings. ‘I was expecting an easy victory. I was expecting big problems. I was ready for both things,’ he said. ‘For me, this result could be 2-2, it could be 5-1.’
After years of spouting cod psychology, Mourinho has almost perfected the patter. And yet, despite his diversionary efforts, the Chelsea manager could not disguise his dissatisfaction with his team.
‘We all know this is a transitional season,’ he said. ‘In another club, everyone would say: “Let’s work and wait calmly, the results will come’. We’re not like that. We don’t want to be like that.’
A cynic might claim that this  was Mourinho’s way of lowering expectations, of reminding his paymasters that the players he has are not the players he really wants. And that cynic might well be correct.
Chelsea may be second in the table, two points off the summit, but at the moment they do not look like a side which is destined to finish on top of the heap.
Palace acquitted themselves with great credit. They improved with the match. In Marouane Chamakh they offered the most impressive player on the pitch. On a luckier day, they might well have secured and deserved that 2-2 outcome to which Mourinho referred.
But given the benefit of an early goal and carrying the confidence of their exalted position, a team of real pedigree would have solved the problems which Palace presented and progressed with wit and authority. By the close yesterday, Chelsea had run short of both qualities.
Any team which Tony Pulis turns out is, in that damning phrase, “well – organised”. They chase, they toil, they endlessly compete. Naturally, they have no real pretensions to finesse. Their first thought is to launch it long, their second, to launch it even longer. Yet when Chelsea scored their opening goal, the pattern should have been set.
It was a vaguely fortuitous affair in the 16th minute, with Willian darting across the face of the area, driving fiercely and hopefully and securing a deflection on to a post. Fernando Torres collected the rebound and scored with ease. And yet some 13 minutes later, and with scarcely an attack to their name, Palace drew level.
A ball was worked across field from the right touchline. Joel Ward appeared on the left wing, crossed low and the Chelsea defenders simply stood and watched. Chamakh took the chance with a fine drive, scoring for the third league match in succession.
Pulis said: ‘The lads have bought into what we’re trying to do. The most important thing is to galvanise a spirit within a football club. Marouane has bought into that. You’ve seen the quality, he’s a top player. The kid can play.’
Once again, just five minutes later, Chelsea were given something to build on, in this case a terrific effort from Ramires. After Eden Hazard had made a mazy run, Ramires collected the ball just outside the D and unfolded the kind of drive which is not for stopping. But once again, Mourinho’s team could not exploit their advantage. Despite having so many inventive midfield players, Chelsea did little to unravel a tenacious defence.
Palace are uncomplicated. At one stage a central defender deep inside his own half nudged a pass five yards square. Pulis exploded in arm – flailing fury on the touchline. He wanted it belted forward, for such is his way. Still, his players became more confident, more ambitious. At the front, the admirable Chamakh and Cameron Jerome ran with purpose and pace.
In the 68th minute, Damien Delaney missed a glittering headed chance of equality. In the 77th minute an even simpler opportunity was squandered, with Chamakh and Jerome stripping the defence and Stuart O’Keefe seeing his attempt brilliantly saved by Petr Cech, with Branislav Ivanovic blocking the rebound from the same player.
The Chelsea fans started to mumble their forebodings as Palace lifted the pace. As the game grew open late on, Chelsea missed their own chances, with Ramitres falling over an opportunity in a rare break and Andre Schurrle, Demba Ba and Ramires again all missing chances in the course of the same move. But it was not proceeding to plan. It was far too close for comfort. This was not how things were meant to be.
Mourinho spun his practised spiel when it was all over, but he knew how close Palace had come. One telling gesture was worth more than all his words.

Chelsea: Cech 5; Ivanovic 6, Luiz 6, Terry 6, Azpilicuta 7; Essien 6, Ramires 7; Willian 7 (Schurrle 82), Mata 5 (Oscar 62, 5), Hazard 6; Torres 5 (Ba 84).
Subs not used: Schwarzer, Cole, Eto'o, Lampard.
Booked: Essien, Ivanovic.
Goals: Torres 16, Ramires 35

Crystal Palace: Speroni 8; Mariappa 6, Gabbidon 7, Delaney 6, Ward 7; Bannan 5 (Bolasie 51, 5), Jedinak 7, Dikgacoi 5 (O'Keefe 26, 7), Puncheon 6; Chamakh 7 (Gayle 88), Jerome 7.
Subs not used: Price, Parr, Williams, Kebe.
Booked: Chamakh
Goal: Chamakh 29
Attendance : 41,608
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Man of the match: Julian Speroni

==================

Mirror:
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace: Torres and Ramires on target as Blues scrape win
By Mike Allen
Jose Mourinho's side were not at their best on Saturday but still won to go within two points of Arsenal
Two points behind the leaders, the chance to be top at Christmas tantalisingly within reach, yet a sense of unease pervades ­Stamford Bridge.
Goals by Fernando Torres and Ramires secured the three points Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho demanded against Crystal Palace that means they could now be the side that dislodges top of the table Arsenal a week tomorrow when they meet at the ­Emirates.
They could. But then again...
David Luiz – playing for the injured Gary Cahill – was an absolute liability, especially in the first half when he twice kicked the ball with his standing foot and was wildly careless with the ball at times.
Juan Mata, making only his ninth League start of the season, was replaced on the hour by Oscar with good reason, while Michael Essien is not the game-dominating influence of old.
Mourinho said: “We want to build but at the same time we want to fight for titles.We are there.”
For their part, Palace showed why they had won three of their previous four matches since Tony Pulis was named manager, and why those around them at the bottom should be fearful.
Skipper Mile Jedinak is an inspiration, and Marouane Chamakh scored for a third successive game – the first time the former Arsenal striker has done that in his career. Pulis said: “The spirit of the players in the last five or six games has been fantastic and to be in the game for 94 minutes is fantastic.”
And the spirit of the Palace fans is worth noting too.
Even Mourinho turned to the visiting support at the end and applauded their efforts to get behind their team and create some noise.
The tension and unease of the home support was temporarily relieved after a quarter of an hour when a burst of speed on the edge of the area earned Willian a yard of space to shoot powerfully. Although Julian Speroni tipped the ­Brazilian’s effort onto the post, Torres was on hand to clean up with just his second Premier League goal of the season – sixth in all ­competitions.
Stamford Bridge may never have seen a home league defeat during the 68 league games through the Mourinho era, but the place has strangely lost the feeling of a fortress.
So, although it was a surprise when Palace pulled level, somehow it was no surprise at all. Chamakh and Jason Puncheon combined to feed Joel Ward on the left and his cross was met by the Frenchman with all the confidence of a man on a good scoring run.
In a season of surprises, his renaissance under Pulis is up there with the biggest of them.
The equaliser earned Pulis a hand-holding touchline tete-a-tete with Mourinho who seemed to be getting increasingly agitated by his team’s inability to dominate their relegation-threatened opposition.
But his frustration was nothing compared to what was to come for Pulis who was still waving his arms in protest at referee Mark ­Clattenburg’s failure to award a foul for a challenge on Cameron Jerome at one end when Chelsea scored what proved to be the winner at the other.
On the break Ramires received a pass from Eden Hazard and teed himself up on the edge of the area before firing a superb shot past the helpless Speroni.
It proved enough, but only just.
Cech made a good save to deny Puncheon who went all the way into the area from a break down the right.
Then John Terry kept out Stuart O’Keefe after his shot had beaten Cech in an almighty goalmouth scramble that saw the substitute also denied on the rebound by Ivanovic’s block.
Pulis said: “We have lost the art of defending a bit in this country, but look at Terry and Ivanovic. They were fantastic at that moment.”
From the resulting corner Delaney headed narrowly wide but as they pushed to grab the goal they richly deserved Palace left themselves open at the back.
Speroni made a brilliant double save, denying Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba before Ramires blasted the rebound into the stand.
It summed up all the doubts about Chelsea.

===============

Express:

Chelsea 2 - Crystal Palace 1: The Special One is still happy with ugly win
THIS was nothing like the feast that preceded it up in Manchester – but that didn’t bother Jose Mourinho one bit.

By: Colin Mafham

Chelsea’s Special One dismissed a performance that was far from special with a pledge that they remain potential champions in waiting. Even if they don’t look like it right now.
And with the possibility of going top if they can turn over Arsenal two days before Christmas he insisted: “At this time we are there – just two points behind the leaders – and we are here to fight for titles.
“But to be top even at the end of January is not crucial, because this race will be open until very late.”
There are some who might doubt Chelsea’s credentials to be in it at all if this is anything to go by. To be fair, Palace probably deserved a point – and the league table suggests they are relegation candidates!
Within 15 minutes man-of-the-match Willian showed the difference between contenders and survival battlers with a cracking shot that Julian Speroni could only turn onto the post. Fernando Torres was on hand to slot home the rebound.
But worries about Chelsea’s defensive frailties got a whole lot worse just short of the half hour when they let Palace back into the game.
Marouane Chamakh, a born-again striker since he moved to south London, was given far more space than he ought to have had and picked his spot perfectly.
The lead didn’t last long, though. Another sweet move involving Willian and the equally lively Eden Hazard ended with a super ball to Ramires that the Brazilian duly rifled home for Chelsea’s second five minutes later.
To their credit Palace were never pushovers and if Petr Cech hadn’t been on alert Jason Puncheon might well have levelled it after the restart.
And the same could be said soon afterwards when Damien Delaney got his head to a free-kick Chelsea really should have cleared before the ball even got to him.
No wonder Mourinho looked concerned.
With the head of steam Palace built up his defenders looked dodgier by the minute.
But for some desperate clearances, particularly a one-handed Petr Cech save from Stuart O’Keefe’s effort, the increasingly resurgent visitors would have got the equaliser they probably deserved.
To be honest Chelsea could and should have wrapped it up late on but Ramires, with the goal at his mercy, was twice denied by Speroni.
Had either of those gone in it would, however, have presented a scoreline that would have been distinctly unfair on Palace – and their so supportive fans.
They were a match for Chelsea for most of the afternoon – on and off the pitch – and if they carry on playing like this they won’t be in the relegation zone much longer.
As Mourinho added: “The game could have gone in either direction.
“The result could easily have been 5-1 or 2-2.”
Palace’s Tony Pulis didn’t disagree, adding that they largely matched their rich West London rivals and could have earned a point.
He said: “To be in the game for 94 minutes is testament to the progress we are making here.
“The spirit over the past few games has been fantastic and the lads have all bought into what we are trying to do. Now it’s important that they keep on believing in themselves.”

MAN of the MATCH: Willian – had a hand in both Chelsea goals and put in a real shift until he was surprisingly substituted.

CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovich, Luiz, Terrry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Essien; Mata (Oscar 62), Willian (Schurrle 81), Hazard; Torres (Demba Ba 83).

PALACE: Speroni; Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Mariappa; Dikgacol (O’Keefe 26), Jedinak; Bannan (Bolasie 50), Jerome, Puncheon; Chamakh (Gayle 87).

Ref: Mark Clattenburg Att: 41,608

=====================

Star:

Chelsea 2 - Crystal Palace 1:
Ramires fires Jose Mourinho's men into second place

CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho complained his side were not flying, his strikers could not score and life was in freefall.
By Tony Stenson

So what happens? They are now up to second place in the Premier League. Jose plays mind games well but he’s right. His side are not playing well. But at least he has a striker who scored.
Not that Fernando Torres did much else and was replaced late on by Demba Ba.
They certainly weren’t at their best and you were left wondering if Palace played well or Chelsea didn’t. In the end, you settled for a bit of both.
The Blues also had keeper Petr Cech to thank for denying Palace three times.
One save in particular in the 78th minute from Eagles substitute Stuart O’Keefe was crucial as they were being battered by a late revival from a side that has climbed off the floor to fight.
Eden Hazard and Willian were both influential throughout for Chelsea but there was a distinct lack of quality throughout in the Blues’ play.
Passes to Torres were often hit too late or too long for him to make an impact.
Michael Essien looked out of sorts in his holding role while Juan Mata, once Chelsea’s golden boy, struggled again and was eventually replaced by Oscar.
This once majestic midfi eld player’s partnership with Mourinho cannot go on. He needs a level of support that he is surely not receiving at the moment.
Tony Pulis’ Palace, who had won their two previous games, did not look a side Championship.
More of this under their new boss and there could be light at the end of the tunnel rather than an oncoming train.
Their defence refused to back down, especially Damien Delaney, and in Cameron Jerome they had a striker who never went into hiding.
Chelsea’s bench looked like a Who’s Who but Palace’s was more Who They? Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Oscar, Samuel Eto’o and Andre Schurrle all presented the kind of back-up clubs like Palace can only dream of.
But they battled hard until Chelsea’s class kicked in.
Willian took a 16th-minute pass from Hazard, cut inside and then fi red a 25- yard shot that Julian Speroni could only tip on to a post and Torres rifled home.
Two minutes later Branislav Ivanovic was through on Mata’s pass but his shot whistled across the Argentine’s goal.
Palace defender Kagisho Dikgacoi limped off on 25 minutes to be replaced by O’Keefe.
They have certainly been lifted by the arrival of Pulis and there was a steel in their tackles and new confi dence when attacking.
None more so than in the 29th minute when Jason Puncheon whipped the ball out wide to Joel Ward whose cross was turned home by Marouane Chamakh.
Chelsea replied heavily on long punts forward to Torres while Palace passed their way forward intelligently.
Pulis was criticised at Stoke for his long ball but the old fox showed he has other tricks in his armoury.
But Willian and Hazard combined again after 35 minutes to set up Ramires for a juicy 20-yard shot that he gleefully accepted to put Chelsea back in front. He later dedicated the goal to his son David on Twitter.
Puncheon brought the best out of Cech with a 54th-minute blockbuster and Delaney worked the keeper again soon after with a powerful header.
Ramires should have scored Chelsea’s third in the 88th minute when totally clear but he got his feet in a tangle and Speroni smothered. He then pulled off another great save from the Brazilian when it was easier to score.
Mourinho is relishing the thought of going to Arsenal next Monday and once again being the talk of football.
The Special One believes there is no better time to overhaul a two-point deficit to go top of the Premier League.
Mourinho said; “For some clubs they plan for the future and claim they are in transition but we are in football to win trophies. It is in our DNA.
“People say we are not the same as when I was here last time, but we are all different now.
“It is not important to be top by the end of December, even January, but it is it nice. This game didn’t go the way I expected.
“I thought that we would win well but Palace fought hard, hit the long ball and then supported their forwards. I thought their fans were magnifi cent too.”
Pulis said: “It’s tough when you go into a club and are playing catch-up and then you go against the likes of Chelsea. It is very, very difficult.
“In the last five or six games the lads have been fantastic.
“We played a bit off the back foot at the start but then we had them hanging on. If we continue to show spirit like that we have a chance.
“I thought Chamakh was first-class. He was at Arsenal and Arsene Wenger doesn’t buy players who can’t play and he is showing that. The lads are getting on well together and he is part of it.”

======================