Ex-Brighton boss Potter sympathises with Crystal Palace after recording first Chelsea win

Chelsea boss Graham Potter believed that Chelsea could have been reduced to 10 men for Thiago Silva’s first-half handball in their 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Silva was issued with an initial yellow card by referee Chris Kavanagh after he deliberately stopped Jordan Ayew from breaking away towards goal in the 33rd minute at Selhurst Park.

Palace, who were 1-0 up at the time through Odsonne Edouard’s opener, believed that the 38-year-old Brazilian centre-back should have been sent off. VAR checked the decision and stuck with Kavanagh’s call.

Kavanagh booked Patrick Vieira following a word with the referee.

Graham Potter’s side equalised through former Barcelona and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and snatched three points in the 90th-minute thanks to Conor Gallagher’s strike from distance.

Potter never beat Crystal Palace – four draws and three losses – while in charge of their rivals Brighton.

“I thought it was touch and go,” said Potter of Silva’s yellow card.

“The fact he was quite far from the goal saved him, and it could’ve gone the other way. It’s a close one – I can understand Patrick’s frustration. It’s a 50-50 one.’

Former Palace loanee Gallagher, who won the club’s Player of the Year last season, started the game as a substitute for the Blues in Potter’s first Premier League game in charge and replaced Kai Havertz in the 76th minute.

‘I am delighted for Conor – delighted for the team – and delighted for the substitutes that they could come on and have an impact,” said Potter.

‘You want players that are disappointed and frustrated because they want to play, of course, but that they show that in a good way and are ready to help when they come on the pitch.

“Conor has a lot of respect for Crystal Palace – you can see that from his reaction. But he’s a Chelsea player now, and it was a great goal for us.”