Chelsea Stumbles in Premier League Debut as Crystal Palace Delivers Shocking Upset
Chelsea found themselves frustrated by a resilient Crystal Palace side at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon, as both teams settled for a scoreless stalemate.
Each squad arrived for the season opener with confidence following productive summer campaigns. Palace had captured the Community Shield to go alongside their FA Cup victory in May, while Enzo Maresca's Chelsea claimed world championship honors in the United States.
Considerable excitement has surrounded Maresca's squad entering the new campaign, with several new additions making immediate impacts. Five fresh signings received playing time, including three making their Premier League debuts, yet Chelsea were neutralized by opponents who have mastered the art of frustrating top-tier teams and now boast a ten-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
Below are three key observations from Sunday's deadlock at the Bridge.
Blues Neutralized
Oliver Glasner's Eagles present a formidable challenge. They demonstrated this during their FA Cup-winning campaign before causing Liverpool difficulties with their wing-back system and direct possession play in last week's Community Shield.
They executed smooth passing combinations in the opening half, with one sequence creating a scoring opportunity for Jean-Philippe Mateta. Their attacking threat diminished as the match wore on, though Mateta remained problematic whenever he could isolate Chelsea's center-backs, including youngster Josh Acheampong.
The away side dominated the first 45 minutes and were unfortunate not to take the lead. Defensively, they employed intelligent positioning and aggressive center-back play to prevent Chelsea from advancing through the middle, while their wing-backs consistently provided numerical advantages against the Blues' pacey wide players, forcing Jamie Gittens and Pedro Neto to regularly face multiple defenders.
Maresca's team struggled to find rhythm for extended periods due to Palace's excellent organization, delivering a display reminiscent of their most lackluster performances from the previous season. They appeared lifeless, with the manager perhaps failing to adequately alter the game's flow despite making several substitutions.
Palmer Off-Key
High hopes surround Cole Palmer for 2025–26, following the Englishman's brilliant displays in the Club World Cup's final stages in July.
Palmer served as the standout performer during Mauricio Pochettino's tenure, amassing an impressive 33 Premier League goal contributions, and 2024–25 proved successful despite some critics suggesting Enzo Maresca restricted the free-spirited Englishman.
Chelsea fans will hope Palmer's showing doesn't foreshadow the upcoming campaign. Palace neutralized his impact through clever midfield positioning rather than direct marking, but when he did receive possession, Palmer appeared unusually subdued.
The clinical finisher who emerges when he's in top form was absent, with the Englishman instead failing to execute his passing accurately and inspire a revamped squad that provided minimal attacking creativity throughout most of the encounter.
Notably, he hasn't found the net from open play in Premier League action since January 14. A free-kick that struck Chris Richards in the face represented his only genuine chance on Sunday.
Why Are Spurs Hesitating?
Saturday brought expectations that Crystal Palace's FA Cup standout wouldn't appear at Stamford Bridge for the Eagles' Premier League season opener, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly nearing completion of their new No. 10 signing.
Eze has expressed his desire to join the north London outfit, but without a finalized deal, Oliver Glasner felt compelled to name the England international in his matchday roster. The 27-year-old didn't complete Sunday's match, being substituted with seven minutes remaining.
A warm ovation from the traveling supporters followed, with most believing this marked his final appearance in Palace kit. His display proved somewhat inconsistent, with poor decision-making in possession offsetting moments of classic Eze brilliance. A beautiful nutmeg on Reece James highlighted the first half, while a clever feint in the second period freed Tyrick Mitchell down the left flank.
Unfortunately, he was denied an early breakthrough following VAR review, as his powerful free-kick was disallowed due to a technical Marc Guéhi violation. Given Palace's defensive excellence in west London, that goal might have secured victory.
Spurs opened their 2024–25 season with a convincing 3–0 triumph over Burnley, having impressed in the UEFA Super Cup, yet their requirement for a creative midfielder like Eze following James Maddison's ACL injury remains urgent. What's causing the delay?