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Noni Madueke reveals what he said to Conor Gallagher before taking crucial penalty against Crystal Palace as Blues winger opens up on ‘difficult’ period
Noni Madueke has provided insight into his conversation with Conor Gallagher before stepping up to take the crucial penalty that secured Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.
Despite initially taking the lead with Mykhailo Mudryk’s early goal, Chelsea found themselves level at halftime following Michael Olise’s equalizer in first-half stoppage time. In the second half, Chelsea’s persistence paid off, and in the final minutes, Madueke won a decisive penalty after drawing a foul from Olise following a corner.
After VAR confirmed the infringement inside the box, Madueke took charge of the ball and reassured Gallagher that he would convert the penalty. This conversation between Madueke and Gallagher played a role in the decisive blow that secured Chelsea’s victory over Crystal Palace.
Speaking to Chelsea’s official channels after the match, Madueke said: “It was always gonna be mine, I’m confident, confident from the spot so yeah. I just told him [Gallagher] don’t worry I’ll score. I scored one earlier this season [against AFC Wimbledon]. So when I saw the VAR give the penalty, there was no doubt in my mind that I would take it.”
Madueke has found it difficult to nail down a starting berth under Mauricio Pochettino, as he has struggled with a couple of muscle injuries since the start of the campaign. He admitted that it has been a rough start to his journey in west London but vowed to make an “impact” whenever he is handed the opportunity by the manager.
“It’s been a stop-start campaign for me,” he said. “I’ve had little niggles, little injuries, things that haven’t quite gone my way. I’m happy to have an impact off the bench today and whether I start the next game – or have the same impact off the bench – is up to the manager.”
Madueke is already looking ahead and emphasizing the importance of consistency for Chelsea, as the Blues will be eager to close down the gap with the top four sides by building on the momentum after this victory.
“It’s about consistency for us at the moment, that is the big thing,” he said.
“We play good football and are scoring goals now – I remember last season we weren’t scoring those goals. We’re probably conceding a few too many but I just feel it’s that consistency we need to get down. Once we do, we’ll be a really good team. We’ve had some very good performances this season where we haven’t got the rub of the green. It’s a process and where we are now will not define us come the end of the season.”
The final game of 2023 for Chelsea is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, when they will travel to Luton Town.