Graham Potter admitted Chelsea were "fortunate" not to have Thiago Silva sent off in their late 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.
Silva was caught in possession and deliberately handled the ball to prevent Jordan Ayew from breaking clean through on goal in Saturday's Premier League contest.
Palace, who were 1-0 up at that point through an early Odsonne Edouard goal, were furious that referee Chris Kavanagh only showed the 38-year-old defender a yellow card.
Patrick Vieira was himself cautioned by the official for refusing to let the matter pass, and opposite number Potter accepted Chelsea could have been a man light.
"It was a 50-50 one we've come out on the right side of I think," he said at his post-match news conference. "I think it's one that we've been fortunate with.
"The fact it's quite a way from the goal has maybe helped us a bit and there are covering defenders. But I can understand Patrick's frustration."
Vieira did not want to be drawn into discussing the performance of referee Kavanagh, but made clear his unhappiness at the decision.
"It's difficult for me to understand and accept it, so sometimes it's better for me to be really quiet and not talk about it," he told reporters.
"I don't want to talk about it because I believe the referee got it wrong. If I really say what I think, I will be in trouble.
"It's better for me not to talk about it. I don't understand the decision and don't want to talk about it. There is a referee, there is VAR, and they are making decisions – we move on."
Palace's frustrations only heightened when Silva nodded down a Reece James pass for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to lash in Chelsea's equaliser before half-time.
In another cruel blow for the hosts, substitute Conor Gallagher – voted Palace's Player of the Year during last season's loan spell – scored a 90th-minute winner, ensuring Potter picked up a victory in his first league game in charge of Chelsea.
Having also recovered from behind to beat West Ham last month, Chelsea have won back-to-back league games after conceding first for the first time since December 2016.
"We're delighted with the result," Potter told BBC Sport. "It's a tough place to come. I thought we started quite well but conceded from the first action into the box.
"Credit to the boys, they recovered well and did not let their heads go down. It was nice to get an equaliser and get back in the game.
"We had to survive moments as they are a good side with dangerous players. To be a goal down and come away with three points is fantastic so credit to the players.
"There's character, that's for sure. They could've felt sorry for themselves after conceding the goal but the players stood up all the way through. There was a collective spirit among the players. We are delighted with the three points."
Aubameyang fired a blank in his first two Chelsea appearances, both coming in the Champions League, but found the net with a clinical half-volley on the swivel.
He has now scored on his first Premier League game for both Arsenal (against Everton in February 2018) and Chelsea, with this his fifth goal against Palace in the competition.
"It was an important goal," Potter said. "He has been working hard to get himself up to Premier League fitness and I have been really impressed with him.
"But any forward will tell you it is important for them to score and it was an important goal for us."
Slot pursuit shows Liverpool running out of options, suggests Carragher
Liverpool's pursuit of Feyenoord boss Arne Slot proves there is "a dearth" of elite coaches currently on the market, according to former Reds defender Jamie Carragher.
On Wednesday, widespread reports claimed Liverpool have entered talks with Feyenoord, who will reportedly demand at least €10million (£8.5m) in compensation to part with Slot.
Slot joined Feyenoord in July 2021 after leaving AZ Alkmaar, leading the Eredivisie giants to the Europa Conference League final – which they lost to Roma – in his first campaign at the helm.
The club's second league title in 20 years followed in 2022-23, and though Feyenoord are set to relinquish their crown to PSV this term, they beat NEC Nijmegen to lift the KNVB Cup on Sunday.
Xabi Alonso was thought to be Liverpool's primary target to replace outgoing boss Jurgen Klopp, but the former midfielder – who was also interesting Bayern Munich – has announced his intention to stay with Bayer Leverkusen.
Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim was also linked with the post, but it is thought he is no longer a leading candidate.
Speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit ahead of Wednesday's Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton, Carragher warned the job will be a major step up for Slot if he is appointed.
"What I would say is I think going from Feyenoord to Liverpool is a huge jump, and I think it shows at this moment that there's probably a dearth of real top managers out there," he said.
"Initially it was Xabi Alonso, it's only his first full season as a manager. Then there was talk of Ruben Amorim from Sporting, again he's only 39. Now Arne Slot looks like he's the favourite.
"I don't think it's like Rafael Benitez coming in, or Jurgen Klopp. Benitez came in off the back of two LaLiga titles and a UEFA Cup, Klopp had won a couple of league titles with Borussia Dortmund.
"Liverpool were in a different space back then, certainly the team I was part of with Benitez… we were a team looking to qualify for the top four. It was the same when Klopp came in.
"Liverpool are in a different area now, fancying themselves to challenge for the Premier League every season, and in next season's Champions League they'd expect to reach the quarter-finals at least.
"I think it's a huge jump but he's obviously a great coach with a great track record with the clubs he's been at so far. We'll see."
PSG close in on Ligue 1 title with 4-1 win at Lorient
Paris Saint-Germain closed in on a record-extending 12th Ligue 1 title as Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe each scored twice in a 4-1 away victory against second-from-bottom Lorient on Wednesday.
Luis Enrique's side will seal the title later on Wednesday if second-placed Monaco fail to beat Lille at home.
PSG are on 69 points with four games left with Monaco trailing by 14 points.
PSG were without the in-form Bradley Barcola, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery who were rested a week before the team's Champions League semi-final first leg against Borussia Dortmund.
The capital side went ahead on 19 minutes as Dembele beat two defenders before slotting the ball past Yvon Mvogo from just inside the box.
Three minutes later, Mbappe connected with a Nuno Mendes cross to double the advantage.
Dembele then put the result beyond doubt on the hour mark when he tapped in from Mbappe's cross.
Mohamed Bamba reduced the arrears in the 73rd minute, but it was too little, too late for a team with 26 points from 30 games.
Mbappe added another one in the last minute with a right-footed effort to take his season tally in the top flight to 26.
Premier League title race gets Man City's blood pumping - Guardiola
Pep Guardiola relishes the decisiveness of the Premier League run-in, as Manchester City prepare for another huge game in the title race.
The Citizens breezed past Luton Town 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium in their last outing in the competition, but were not in Premier League action at the weekend.
While they booked a place in the FA Cup final with a 1-0 win against Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal went back to the summit by recording wins over Wolves and the Blues before Liverpool also leapfrogged Guardiola’s team with a 3-1 victory at Fulham on Sunday.
City, who will be without the injured Erling Haaland, face Brighton on Thursday, in what is one of their two games in hand on the Gunners.
Asked how he feels going into the final few games of the season with so much on the line, Guardiola said: “Every game is adrenalin. Every game is important. But yes it’s decisive. Every mistake or every step back makes it more difficult. It is what it is.
“We have been here in the last years fortunately many times so that’s why we know what we are playing for.”
Guardiola was also questioned about the criticism levelled at match officials after Nottingham Forest’s strongly worded statement following their 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday.
"Absolutely disagree. In every league in the world, this kind of thing will happen more and more, but of course, I never had doubts about that,” said Guardiola.
"They make a mistake, they feel bad. It's normal. When they do the job, they want to do it well. The game is so difficult, it is fast and quick, decisions have to be made in one instant. It's not easy.”
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