Just 35 days after becoming world champions, Chelsea dropped points in their Premier League opener.
Their last competitive match had ended in glory, lifting the Club World Cup with a dazzling display. They even carried that momentum into preseason with two commanding wins. But the sparkle faded at the start of the new season, as Crystal Palace held them back in the league opener.
On Sunday at Stamford Bridge, FA Cup winners Crystal Palace frustrated Chelsea to a goalless draw.
The day could have been far worse for Chelsea. In the 13th minute, Eberechi Eze found the net with a superb free-kick from 20 yards. But VAR intervened, ruling the goal out because defender Marc Guéhi was less than a meter from Chelsea’s wall when the shot was taken.
Escaping that scare, Chelsea dominated possession with over 70% of the ball but failed to impose themselves. The same side that dismantled European champions PSG 3-0 in the United States last month managed 19 shots but only three on target.
Palace, despite having far less of the ball, were the sharper side. After winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City to secure their first major title in 120 years, and then beating Liverpool to lift the Community Shield last week, they tested Chelsea with 12 shots, four of which were on target.
