Chelsea held Crystal Palace to a goalless draw at Selhurst Park, surviving an early scare when Eberechi Eze’s free-kick goal was controversially ruled out.
Palace thought they had taken the lead in the 13th minute after Eze’s strike nestled into the net, but referee Darren England overturned the goal following a VAR check. Replays showed captain Marc Guehi had shoved Moises Caicedo and was standing too close to Chelsea’s defensive wall when the kick was taken.
From there, the match remained scrappy. Chelsea, fresh off their Club World Cup triumph last month, struggled to impose themselves despite fielding several of their recent youthful signings, including Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens. Clear-cut chances were few, with both sides unable to find rhythm under the warm southwest London sun.
It was 18-year-old Brazilian substitute Estevão who injected the most spark for the visitors, causing problems down the right flank with his direct running and creativity. However, his efforts weren’t enough to break the deadlock as Palace defended stoutly to earn a share of the points.
Watch Highlights Here:
