Morata knows he ‘could have scored a hat-trick’ in win over Palace

Joe Williams

Alvaro Morata knows that he could have had a hat-trick, but was delighted to score a brace in Chelsea’s 3-1 over Crystal Palace.

The Spaniard scored twice as Chelsea beat Palace to give Maurizio Sarri a record-equalling start to Premier League management.

Morata’s first-half strike was cancelled out by Andros Townsend as Chelsea struggled to subdue their vibrant visitors, for whom Wilfried Zaha starred.

But Eden Hazard, back from a three-game absence with a back problem, provided the striker’s second with his first touch, sending over a free-kick which Morata expertly diverted into the net.

The often derided former Real Madrid frontman now has five goals in his past six Chelsea games and Pedro added a third soon afterwards as the Blues moved second in the table, above Liverpool on goal difference.

“I can score a hat-trick so it was not the perfect day but we will take the three points,” Morata told Sky Sports.

“That is the most important thing for us. We want to fight until the end for the Premier League.

“We played good today. I think a lot about the hat-trick but I am improving and I want to keep helping my team to win.

“Palace score to make it 1-1 so we knew we needed to go and win it and stay at the top with the other teams. We needed the three points.

“It is very hard because the Premier League is the most competitive league in the world. It will be very difficult. We want to take all the points. It is the only way to try to fight for the league.

“When you have a bad period, it takes long to recover. Last year was difficult for me for many things. You don’t expect an injury but now I am good, it is nice to be scoring.”