The opening match of the season held at Stamford Bridge finished with both Chelsea and Crystal Palace unable to score any goals.
Despite dominating possession with an average of 70% and attempting 17 shots, Chelsea could not break the deadlock.
Joshua Acheampong stood out as the player of the match, making crucial defensive interventions with three ball recoveries.
On the other side, Chris Richards also made his mark as a key defender for Crystal Palace, recovering two balls and successfully clearing two dangerous situations.
In a moment that electrified the crowd, midfielder Eberechi Eze showcased his skill by nutmegging Reece James in the 37th minute of the first half.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s manager, selected a 4-5-1 formation with Robert Sánchez in goal; Reece James, Joshua Acheampong, Trevoh Chalobah, and Marc Cucurella in defense; Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in midfield; and João Pedro leading the attack.
Crystal Palace, under Oliver Glasner’s guidance, lined up in a 3-6-1 formation with Dean Henderson in the net; Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, and Marc Guéhi in defense; Daniel Muñoz, Adam Wharton, Will Hughes, Tyrick Mitchell, Ismaïla Sarr, and Eberechi Eze in midfield; and Jean-Philippe Mateta upfront.
The match was officiated by Darren England at Stamford Bridge.
Looking ahead, Chelsea will face West Ham United away in the next match, while Crystal Palace will host Nottingham Forest.
Following this draw, Chelsea sits in ninth place with one point in the standings, while Crystal Palace is in tenth, also with one point.
Substitutions for Chelsea
53’ 2T – Jamie Bynoe-Gittens was replaced by Estêvão
72’ 2T – João Pedro made way for Liam Delap
78’ 2T – Enzo Fernández and Reece James were substituted for Andrey Santos and Malo Gusto respectively.
Yellow cards for Chelsea:
23’ 1T – Reece James (Unsporting behavior) and 30’ 2T – Estêvão (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Crystal Palace
69’ 2T – Will Hughes was substituted for Jefferson Lerma
83’ 2T – Eberechi Eze was replaced by Justin Devenny.
Yellow cards for Crystal Palace:
27’ 1T – Daniel Muñoz (Unsporting behavior), 32’ 1T – Jean-Philippe Mateta (Unsporting behavior) and 3’ 2T – Will Hughes (Unsporting behavior)