Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace – Eagles stand firm as blues misfire at the Bridge

Chelsea endured a wasteful afternoon as Crystal Palace frustrated them in a goalless stalemate at Stamford Bridge. Despite dominating possession and territory, the Blues could not find a way past Dean Henderson and a resolute Palace defence.

Eberechi Eze thought he had won it for the visitors with a thunderous free-kick in the second half, but VAR intervened to chalk it off. Marc Guehi was adjudged to have illegally barged Moisés Caicedo in the wall before the strike flew in — a decision correct by the letter of the law but harsh in Palace eyes.

Chelsea’s best chances came late on, with Liam Delap volleying straight at Henderson and Andrey Santos blazing over in stoppage time. For the first time in the calendar year, Chelsea failed to score at home in the league — a statistic that will concern Enzo Maresca ahead of a busy run of fixtures.

Oliver Glasner’s men set up superbly, compact in shape and relentless in duels. Guehi and Joachim Andersen were immense in marshalling the box, while Henderson produced four key saves to preserve his clean sheet. Palace may feel disappointed not to have stolen all three points, but the performance will only add to growing optimism around Selhurst Park.

For all their dominance — 71% possession, 19 shots, and 11 corners — Chelsea struggled to create clear openings. Their expected goals tally of 1.81 reflects control but not cutting edge, with too many efforts blocked or off-target.

Maresca’s side looked short of inspiration in the final third, a recurring theme from last season, and the absence of a ruthless No.9 was again glaring.

This was another reminder of Chelsea’s ongoing issues in attack. Their structure is strong, possession play fluid, but without a finisher the dominance is wasted. From reviewing recent games, the young forwards are timing their runs better — but composure in front of goal is sorely lacking.

Palace, meanwhile, continue to evolve under Glasner. Eze was the standout, and the defensive core of Guehi and Andersen again showed why they’re among the Premier League’s most reliable partnerships.

Chelsea must regroup quickly with a trip to Aston Villa next weekend — a test that will demand greater attacking sharpness. Maresca will know his side cannot afford to waste so many chances against tougher opposition.

Palace return to Selhurst Park to face Everton, buoyed by their resilient point and keen to turn performances into wins. If Eze and Olise continue their form, Glasner’s men could quietly push into the top half.

Should Chelsea be worried about their lack of goals — or is this just an early-season blip?