Cole Palmer couldn't find the breakthrough as "Chelsea" were held to a goalless draw by "Crystal Palace" in their Premier League opener at Stamford Bridge. The London derby ended 0-0 despite several opportunities for the hosts to break the deadlock.
"We created some chances but lacked that final touch today. Palace defended well and we couldn't find the solution," – a frustrated Palmer might have said after the match.
Eberechi Eze thought he had given Palace the lead in the 13th minute from a free-kick, but his effort was disallowed for an infringement in the penalty area. This early scare seemed to jolt Chelsea into action, though their subsequent attacks lacked precision.
The Blues brought on Brazilian youngster Estevao in the 54th minute to try and inject some creativity, but the substitution didn't produce the desired effect. Palace, meanwhile, focused on counter-attacks throughout the match without creating any truly dangerous moments.
Interestingly, both teams received multiple yellow cards, with Reece James and Estevao cautioned for Chelsea, while Munoz, Mateta, and Hughes saw yellow for the visitors.
Chelsea's lineup featured Sanchez in goal, with James (replaced by Gusto in the 79th minute), Achimpong, Chalobah, and Cucurella forming the defense. The midfield trio of Caicedo, Fernandez (replaced by Santos in the 79th minute), and Neto supported Palmer and Gittens (replaced by Estevao after 54 minutes), with Pedro leading the line before being substituted for Delap in the 73rd minute.
Can new manager's tactical approach eventually yield results? The season is just beginning, but dropping points at home in the opening fixture isn't the start Chelsea fans were hoping for.
