Chris Sutton hailed Conor Gallagher on BBC Radio 5 Live as the on-loan Chelsea midfielder Everton reportedly want a transfer for helped Crystal Palace beat Arsenal 3-0 on Monday.
Gallagher left the Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers in awe with his efforts at Selhurst Park against the Gunners. The Blues product covered the hard yards to press the Eagles’ London rivals and allow Patrick Vieira’s men to establish control in the first period.
Rarely could Arsenal find a foothold before the break, as goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew stretched the margin. Gallagher’s work in the Crystal Palace engine room in the second-half also ensured the home side kept their shape whenever under pressure.
As well as impressive energy levels, Gallagher had a hand in Mateta breaking the deadlock, too. He delivered a teasing, deep free-kick into the Arsenal box that Joachim Andersen was able to head back into the centre of the area after Nuno Tavares ducked out of the way.
The England technician’s intensity set a tone for his Palace teammates to match, however. Gareth Southgate awarded Gallagher his Three Lions bow in November, before making his first start during the March break. He also fed Luke Shaw to equalise against Switzerland.
Sutton hails ‘tenacious’ Everton target Gallagher as Palace ace was ‘everywhere’
Frank Lampard would surely have liked to have had Gallagher’s display with Crystal Palace against Arsenal in his midfield when Everton lost at West Ham United on Sunday. The Irons were all too often able to carve their way through a sloppy aggressive-looking Toffees side.
The Toffees boss is keen on a move for the three-cap ace this year, per TEAMtalk. Lampard has approached Chelsea to register Everton’s interest in case Thomas Tuchel does not add Gallagher to his Stamford Bridge side upon returning from his Crystal Palace loan transfer.
But Serie A giants Juventus and Inter Milan are also scouting the midfielder, per The Sun. While The Sun noted in January that Paris Saint-Germain were lining up a move, but the Blues wanted £50m. Gallagher has also long targeted a return to the Bridge next season.
Everton scouts would have liked what they saw from Gallagher if watching the Chelsea ace on loan with Crystal Palace this Monday. Sutton enthused ‘Gallagher is everywhere’ as the Eagles constantly kept Arsenal at bay in the second-half before Wilfried Zaha made it 3-0.
The Chelsea gem also impressed Sutton when defending from the front after he shut down Aaron Ramsdale. But ref Paul Tierney judged him to foul Cedric Soares once on the ball. He also showed his quick thinking to slip Zaha in from a free-kick, but he was deemed offside.
“That typifies the first-half,” Sutton said. “Conor Gallagher was so tenacious and that can’t be said for any Arsenal player. They have really lacked aggression.”
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