Chelsea maintain five-point advantage at top of PL with 2-1 win at Crystal Palace

Chelsea secured a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace to maintain their five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League table thanks to goals from Oscar and Cesc Fabregas on Saturday in a game where both teams were reduced to ten men.

Oscar's sixth minute free-kick sent Chelsea on their way and Fabregas's 51st-minute goal doubled their lead and ensured that they had a cushion to protect them from Palace's late rally that was capped by a 90th-minute reply from Fraizer Campbell.

Chelsea's victory was reward for the way they reacted after the dismissal of Cesar Azpilicueta and Palace's Damien Delaney in the space of three minutes towards the end of the first half, Sport24 reported.

Azpilicueta was sent off for an ugly lunge on Mile Jedinak in the 39th minute but a second yellow card for Delaney quickly removed the hosts' one-man advantage.

Up to that point, Palace had looked capable of forcing their way back into the game but Chelsea, captained by John Terry for the 500th time, responded well and displayed the reason they have maintained an unbeaten start to their league campaign.

With Didier Drogba short of full fitness, Loic Remy was handed a first league start since his 10.5 million pounds deadline day arrival from Queens Park Rangers. Chelsea quickly assumed control of the game through Oscar's set-piece.

Palace's hopes of working their way back into the game were boosted when Azpilicueta was dismissed. The Chelsea left back lunged at Jedinak with his studs showing after losing control of the ball, giving the referee little option but to issue a red card.

Palace had been handed the opportunity to increase the pressure on Chelsea but they squandered the one-man advantage when Delaney foolishly collected his second yellow card just three minutes later.

Chelsea had been given a reprieve and moved quickly to put the game beyond the reach of the home side with a superbly worked goal six minutes after the restart. Fabregas then doubled their lead.

Chelsea then cruised through the second half and when Campbell turned home from close range from Wilfried Zaha's low cross, it came too late to affect the outcome, the report added.