Chelsea endured a frustrating start to their Premier League season on Sunday, settling for a 0-0 stalemate against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
Fresh off their Club World Cup triumph, the Blues looked far from convincing and were fortunate to escape with a point against a disciplined Palace side.
VAR Denies Palace Early Lead
The visitors thought they had struck first when Eberechi Eze unleashed a thunderous free-kick that flew past goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed as Marc Guehi was judged to have illegally forced Moises Caicedo out of the Chelsea wall to create space.
Chelsea’s Attack Falters
Despite dominating possession, Chelsea struggled to create clear chances. New signing Estevao, who recently joined from Palmeiras after scoring against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, came closest to breaking the deadlock but fired high and wide from close range.
Stars who had dazzled in the Club World Cup victory over PSG, including Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, failed to replicate their form and were largely ineffective against Palace’s solid backline.
Transfer Clouds Over Palace Stars
Palace, meanwhile, fielded both Guehi and Eze, despite heavy speculation linking them with summer moves to Liverpool and Tottenham. Their presence proved crucial in frustrating Chelsea’s attack throughout the match.
Elsewhere in the League
- Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford: Chris Wood scored twice as Forest eased to victory, despite Brentford grabbing a late consolation through Igor Thiago’s penalty.
- Brentford’s struggles deepened after losing manager Thomas Frank, captain Christian Norgaard, and forward Bryan Mbeumo in the transfer window.
- Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, begin their title charge later in the day against a revamped Manchester United.
Chelsea, who lifted the Premier League trophy last in 2017, will need a sharper attacking edge if they hope to mount a serious title challenge this season.
