Disjointed Chelsea labour to goalless draw with Crystal Palace

Chelsea made an underwhelming start to the Premier League season as Crystal Palace ground out a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.

After a truncated pre-season following victory in the Club World Cup, everything pointed to a Chelsea side lacking both preparation and rest as Oliver Glasner’s team coped relative easily with a new-look yet disjointed attack.

Eberechi Eze started for Palace despite speculation he is about to leave and, if there were doubts about how supporters felt about the player whose goal won them the FA Cup in May, they were dispelled when he was substituted to a standing ovation late on.

Full-time at SB. ⏹️#CFC | #CHECRY pic.twitter.com/hvaIrhgJVB

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 17, 2025

The England international provided the game with its only major talking point, lashing in a brilliant free-kick in the first half that was ruled out after Marc Guehi obstructed Chelsea’s wall, drawing a furious response from Palace fans.

As expected, Nicolas Jackson was not in Enzo Maresca’s squad after being made surplus to requirements, with Newcastle considering a bid, while Joao Pedro was preferred at number nine to fellow new signing Liam Delap.

Chelsea were playing 35 days after their win over Paris St Germain in the Club World Cup final in the United States and showed signs of mental fatigue in a first-half display low on creativity.

Marc Cucurella had the first of their only two chances, his near-post header looping towards the far corner where it was nodded off the line by the leaping Ismaila Sarr.

Eze looked to have obliged the headline writers after 15 minutes with an unstoppable free-kick that flew through the middle of the Chelsea wall and in, only for a VAR check to reveal Guehi had unfairly forced Moises