Allardyce hails players after Palace victory

Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce said his side’s refusal to panic after going a goal down shocked Chelsea and was one of the main reasons for their 2-1 victory against the Premier League leaders at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues led through a Cesc Fabregas strike but goals from Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke earned the Eagles a fourth successive victory.

“The response of the players after going a goal down was outstanding,” the former England boss said.

“They didn’t let their heads go down which is what I saw when I first came.

“The two goals shocked Chelsea and the resilient defending and the saves by the goalkeeper [Wayne Hennessey] were the reason why we won, albeit we spurned a couple of chances to get another goal. It was an outstanding performance and victory.

“Our plan how we wanted to play has been one of the keys to why we won. But a plan can only work when players play to their best of their ability, which is the absolute maximum if you want to get something from a game against Chelsea.”