CHELSEA drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace in their Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues went 1-0 up through Nicolas Jackson in the first half but struggled to double their lead thereafter.
Eberechi Eze got Palace’s equaliser with a brilliant curler from outside the box.
- Kick off time: 1.30pm BST
- TV/Stream: Not avaliable to watch in the UK
- Chelsea team: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo, Palmer; Madueke, Jackson, Neto
- Crystal Palace team: Henderson; Clyne, Guéhi, Richards; Muñoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Kamada, Eze, Mateta
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Eagles lift heads into break
Crystal Palace fans will go into the international break feeling a lot more positive after today’s game.
They picked up their first point of the campaign today at Stamford Bridge and showed some grit to come from behind.
With the additions they made before the transfer window closes, you feel they will have too much quality to be dragged into a relegation scrap.
Blues continue to frustrate fans
Having spent more money than America does on its defence budget, it is truly baffling how this misfiring Chelsea team continues to falter.
They have had a revolving door policy on managers until they find one that makes it work.
By 2025, scientists believe, wherever you are in the UK you will never be more than ten feet away from an ex-Chelsea manager.
At some stage, you have to look at the players and wonder whether this is a squad of individuals with no chemistry or cohesion whatsoever.
Credit: Reuters Chelsea fail to contain threat
When you play Crystal Palace, it does not take a master tactician to realise you need to snuff out the threat of Eberechi Eze.
While he was quiet in the first half, everything The Eagles’ did well in the second half involved him.
It was his stunning strike that beat the Chelsea keeper from outside the box to draw the sides level.
Credit: Getty
FT: Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
This will seem a point gained for Crystal Palace.
In a fixture they have not faired well in historically, they have come to Stamford Bridge and come from behind to grab a draw.
They were the better team in the second half and will feel it could have been a game they also won.
FT: Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
The referee brings the game to an end.
Mitchell had a late chance to grab a winner from a corner but his shot was blocked with the goal at his mercy.
There are boos from the home fans as they show their displeasure for another lacklustre performance.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
90+8. Cucurella gives the ball away and The Eagles come forward.
Sarr has the ball out wide but as he looks to thread it into the box, it is deflected behind for a corner.
This could be a last chance to grab a winner for the visitors.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
90+6. Chelsea are piling on the pressure now.
Crystal Palace are getting everyone behind the ball to try and protect the point they currently have.
Munoz plays a ball in behind the Chelsea defence but Sanchez races out of his box to head the ball clear.
The Blues come forward with Felix as he dances past challenges but then scuffs his shot into the hands of Henderson.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
90+4. Another massive chance for the hosts.
The ball is lifted over the defence and Jackson runs clear through on goal.
Henderson makes himself big and blocks the effort to make a huge save in the context of this game.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
90+2. Before the game today Jadon Sancho was presented to the home crowd.
He has been unveiled more than ‘The Masked Singer’ now with the number of clubs he has gone out on loan to.
Jackson tries to shoot from the edge of the box but Henderson watches his effort wide of the goal.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
90. Munoz is shown a yellow card for preventing Palmer from taking a quick free kick.
Time is running out for either team to find that elusive goal to take all three points.
Nkunku receives the ball and runs into the box towards the byline.
Richards does well to put pressure on him and his attempted cross come shot is well held by Henderson.
We are going to have eight added minutes in West London.
Credit: Getty Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
88. Both sets of defenders have put their bodies on the line to protect their goals today.
All too often pot shots from distance have been blocked.
Nkunku crosses in towards Felix but Clyne does well to clear.
Schlupp comes on for Kamada.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
84. Palace has a dangerous attack as they have an overload of numbers in the final third.
Kamada takes the wrong option as he looks to drill a shot towards goal which is well blocked by Cucurella.
Chelsea come steaming forward but another loose pass on the edge of Palace box sees the move breakdown.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
82. We are at that stage of the game now where you feel the next goal wins it.
That said, Bournemouth would disagree with that.
The game has dipped a little now as both teams struggle to find their groove.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
80. Guehi has gone down in the box as play stops.
Jackson treaded on the back of his leg as the two challenged for the ball there.
The Chelsea striker needs to be careful as he already gets a yellow card.
Guehi was using some game management there to take the sting out of Chelsea’s search for a winner.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
78. Palace counter attack and Munoz crosses into the box.
Kamada meets it and somehow Sanchez gets it over the crossbar.
It looked to like he was trying to catch a wet bar of soap there.
Credit: Getty
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
76. Mudryk goes down out wide as he feels contact behind him.
It gives Chelsea the chance to put a dangerous cross into the penalty area.
As ever, Palmer puts in a great cross but as the ball drops into the six yard box, Colwill gets his effort all wrong.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
74. Gusto is forced off and Mudryk replaces him.
Fernandez is going to have to play the rest of the game at right back.
An option for Glasner now would be to get Eze to run at the makeshift full back to see what joy they can get down that flank.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
72. Crystal Palace must feel this game is there to be won now.
They have dominated the second half and fully deserved their goal.
Palmer is having to drop back into his own half to see some of the ball, such is the lack of supply he has seen.
Gusto goes down again, this time clutching his hamstring.
Some would say that is karma for his conning of the referee moments ago.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
70. Gusto is back to his feet and able to continue.
Poor refereeing stopping the game for that.
Unless it is a head injury, he should have allowed play to continue until it went out of play.
The way modern footballers make the slightest contact look like a career ending injury, it can just be used as a trick to take the pressure off the defending side.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
68. Munoz gets down the right and looks to cut the ball back to Eze.
Gusto puts in a challenge and stays down waving his arms around.
The referee stops the game so he can receive treatment, which Palace are not happy about as they were on the front foot.
Credit: AP Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
66. Neto is replaced by Felix for The Blues.
He works the ball to Madueke who curls a cross into the back post.
It is all too easy for Henderson as he gathers the ball.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
64. Jackson gets himself a silly booking.
He all too often seems to lose his head when things aren’t going his side’s way.
It may be time for Maresca to freshen this side up.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
62. Palace force another corner as Eze tries to threat the ball through to Mateta.
Wharton whips in the cross but it is headed clear.
Chelsea seem unable to keep hold of the ball as they gift possession back to the visitors.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
60. This will be a true test of the mental strength of Maresca’s Chelsea side now.
They seemed to be coasting in this game but with such a slender advantage, you are only one lapse of judgement away from a sucker punch.
He may be writing on his notepad ‘teach Caicedo how to tackle’.
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
58. It is a completely different atmosphere at Stamford Bridge now.
The visitors are piling on the pressure and Chelsea look rattled.
All you can hear in the ground is the noise from the away end as The Blues’ fans are all still in a stunned silence.
Credit: Getty
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
