Three goals in three minutes and three seconds have lit the fuse for a thrilling Premier League encounter, while Chelsea claimed a crucial win after being awarded a late penalty.
Meanwhile, Manchester City is also chasing a crucial wins on a busy morning of Premier League action.
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LATE VAR DRAMA IN CHELSEA WIN
Noni Madueke snatched a 2-1 win for Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday, scoring a late winner from the penalty spot against Crystal Palace to offer the Blues some cheer towards the end of a terrible 2023.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side, bogged down in mid-table, took an early lead through Mykhailo Mudryk but Michael Olise pegged the hosts back at Stamford Bridge.
Madueke won and converted an 89th-minute penalty to claim victory for stuttering Chelsea after three losses in their previous four top-flight matches.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has spent lavishly across the past three transfer windows but the Blues have suffered 19 league defeats in the calendar year.
Defeat leaves Palace dangling three points above the relegation zone and coach Roy Hodgson under pressure.
Chelsea dominated the first half and created several openings despite missing suspended attacking pair Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer, both booked in an error-strewn defeat by Wolves on Christmas Eve.
Pochettino handed left-back Ian Maatsen his first top-flight start on the right of the attack and the 21-year-old came close early on, nudging past Dean Henderson but Tyrick Mitchell cleared the ball away as it rolled towards goal.
Mudryk broke the deadlock in the 13th minute after Christopher Nkunku played in Malo Gusto, zipping outside him on the left.
Gusto squared for Mudryk to slot home for his third league goal of the season. The Ukraine winger could have added his fourth soon afterwards when Nicholas Jackson teed him up with a brilliant backheel, but Henderson rushed out to save well.
Jackson set up Nkunku, making his first start for the club, but the French forward air-kicked under pressure from Chris Richards.
The hosts were rampant but Palace snatched an equaliser just before the break through Olise after another Chelsea defensive error.
The Blues defence inexcusably left the winger unmarked and he took Jordan Ayew’s cross on his chest superbly before smashing home at the near post.
Chelsea’s initial spark faded and the visitors set up camp in their half, aiming to end a seven-game winless streak.
Playmaker Eberechi Eze whipped a free-kick wide in front of Palace’s baying fans and Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic thwarted Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Jackson blew a golden opportunity by firing wide after Conor Gallagher slipped him in, and when he did find the net minutes later the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside.
Chelsea fans were infuriated but their rage turned to cheers when they were awarded a penalty after another video review following Eze’s foul on Madueke.
The 21-year-old winger calmly stroked the ball home and Chelsea held on through Palace pressure in stoppage time to claim a tense victory.
CHAOS AT BRENTFORD
Wolves, away at Brentford, took the lead in the 13th minute when a corner rebounded to Pablo Sarabia. He whipped in a sensational cross for Mario Lemina at the back post to head home from close range.
But just 12 seconds after the restart, Brentford’s nightmare worsened when Wolves made it 2-0.
Former Wolves defender Nathan Collins played a horrible pass back to Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken, which Wolves attacker Hwang Hee-Chan intercepted before rolling the ball into the net.
But if the pair of goals in a matter of seconds wasn’t enough, Brentford then got one back almost immediately.
Neal Maupay received the ball on the edge of the box with his back to goal, and neatly flicked it behind the defence for Yoane Wissa to brilliantly slam the half-volley into the net.
The score was suddenly 2-1 to Wolves, with all three goals coming in the space of three minutes and three seconds.
But things weren’t finished there. In the 28th minute Brentford centre-back Nathan Collins misplaced a long pass out of defence, with Toti Gomes heading it back to Hwang in the box. Hwang then exceptionally flicked the ball over defender Ethan Pinnock before calmly finishing into the bottom corner.
It was Hwang’s ninth and tenth goals of the season already.
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