Eberechi Eze scored a stunning goal and Dean Henderson made six crucial saves, helping Crystal Palace secure a surprising 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring for Chelsea early in the match, but the Blues were unable to add to their tally, much to the disappointment of their home supporters in this London derby.
As a result of this draw, Chelsea goes into the international break with four points, sitting three points behind the top four, while Palace’s first point of the season lifts them out of the relegation zone, placing them 16th on goal differential.
Despite Cole Palmer creating five chances, Chelsea could only convert one, courtesy of Jackson’s early goal. Although Palmer impressed in midfield, teammates Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke struggled to influence the game, failing to capitalize on their opportunities. Despite his efforts, Jackson was left frustrated with only one goal, a sentiment echoed by disheartened Chelsea fans.
For Crystal Palace, the season has been tough, accumulating just one point from their three London derbies so far. However, Eze’s brilliant strike and Henderson’s outstanding goalkeeping highlight their potential to escape relegation if new signings Maxence Lacroix, Eddie Nketiah, and Trevor Chalobah can quickly integrate and perform reliably alongside teammates like Adam Wharton and Marc Guehi.
With the international break ahead, Chelsea will next face Bournemouth on September 14, while Crystal Palace will host Leicester City at the same time. Following this, both teams will compete in the League Cup, with Palace visiting QPR and Chelsea hosting Barrow.
The match ended with a final score of 1-1, featuring goals from Nicolas Jackson in the 25th minute and Eberechi Eze in the 54th minute, as Crystal Palace fought hard to earn a vital point away from home.