Wilfried Zaha has described Crysta Palacle’s 2-1 win over Chelsea as “a dream” and believes that it will be “massive” for the ailing club’s confidence.
The Eagles, without a point or a goal all season, were expected to succumb to the Premier League champions in Saturday’s encounter at Selhurst Park.
Roy Hodgson’s side, however, put in an impressive display against Antonio Conte’s charges and went on to claim all three points thanks to Cesar Azpilicueta’s own goal and Zaha’s winner.
“I’m so tired but it was all worth it for the win. We had to win! You never know in football – we had a gameplan, worked hard and just took our chances,” the returning winger told BBC Sport.
“The first goal was massive for our confidence – it was a massive boost for the team. My goal was at the right time too, because Chelsea were coming back. I’m buzzing to have scored it.
“Me and Andros Townsend aren’t strikers so we run all over the gaff, but the boss told us that if one had the ball the other needs to get himself into the box.
“It’s a dream, managing to beat Chelsea at home. Definitely this is the start of a fightback – now we’ve got more confidence we can start to climb up the table.”
Up next for Palace is next Saturday’s trip to Newcastle United.
Another defeat to nil would have set an unwanted English league record at nine, including one at the end of last season, but Selhurst Park erupted early on when an Andros Townsend cross crept past Thibaut Courtois via a combination of Yohan Cabaye and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Tiemoue Bakayoko was given the freedom of the Palace area to head home his first Premier League goal and level the scores, but the influential Zaha – who was a menace throughout – restored Palace’s lead shortly before the break with a cool finish.
An inevitable second-half barrage arrived from Chelsea and Cesc Fabregas lashed an effort against the crossbar, but Palace clung on for a priceless victory.
It marks another disappointment for Antonio Conte, whose side were beaten 1-0 at home by Manchester City last time out and the Blues now trail Pep Guardiola’s league leaders by nine points.
Palace remain bottom of the table, seven points adrift of 17th, but the return of Zaha will give Roy Hodgson – who tasted victory as Palace boss for the first time – renewed optimism.
Zaha provided Palace with fresh attacking impetus and he forced Courtois into an early save after collecting Townsend’s low left-wing cross and turning Gary Cahill in the area.
The wait for a goal was over in the 11th minute. James McArthur cleverly slipped a pass to Townsend, whose drilled cross ricocheted off Cabaye’s knee under a challenge from David Luiz and clipped Azpilicueta before squirming past Courtois.
Palace’s frailties were exposed with startling ease just seven minutes later, though, as Cesc Fabregas fired in a corner from the right that Bakayoko headed in unmarked for his first Premier League goal.
Zaha lashed an effort past the left post, while more poor marking at a corner led to Michy Batshuayi – deputising for the injured Alvaro Morata in one of four Chelsea changes – heading wastefully over the crossbar.
Chelsea then lost Victor Moses to a hamstring injury before their misery increased on the stroke of half-time.
