With the scoreline at 2-2, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino decided to bring on Ben Chilwell and Conor Gallagher at the hour mark in his side’s 3-2 win against Leeds United last night.
Substituting Conor Gallagher on really paid off, with the midfielder going on to score the winning goal for Chelsea.
Former Premier League striker Glenn Murray has since praised him on BBC Radio 5 Live, believing that he showed character following the Blues’ defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
Gallagher missed a couple of big chances against Jurgen Klopp’s men, which proved costly as Chelsea went on to lose 1-0.
However, the 24-year-old has quickly bounced back with an important goal for Pochettino‘s side.
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Conor Gallagher showed character
Murray feels that Gallagher really stood up at a time when Chelsea needed him to.
On the Englishman, the former Brighton & Hove Albion player said: “For me, he’s one of the standout performers this season. He gets quite a lot of criticism at times, but I like what he does for them.
“I think he adds an energy to the way they play. Yeah he missed a couple of chances that have been well-documented in the final on Sunday, but do you know what? He showed character and that’s what Chelsea need at the moment. He’s bounced back and got them through to the FA Cup quarter-finals with a late goal.”
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Conor Gallagher starting to score goals for Chelsea
While Gallagher should have netted in the Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool, he can still be pleased with his overall form in front of goal of late.
The England international scored in Chelsea’s previous FA Cup game against Aston Villa and in the 3-1 win versus Crystal Palace afterwards.
He now has another goal to add to the above after his strike last night, which may have saved Pochettino’s job.
The Argentine has come under increasing pressure after missing out on the League Cup trophy, with it being reported that Chelsea are already looking at potential replacements. That Gallagher winner, though, should help him out a little bit.
