Chelsea are still struggling to get off the ground despite their recent big win over Wolves. The Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace, whom they had beaten in their last 13 matches, on Sunday.

Nico Jackson opened the scoring in the first half. But, just after the two teams returned from half-time, Eze scored a great goal that the home side couldn’t bounce back from. Enzo Maresca’s side are still without a win at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca was convinced by the squad he put out last week against Wolves and repeated the same eleven with the exception of Mudryk, who was substituted at The Molineux at half-time. His place on the left flank was taken by Pedro Neto who, like the rest of the team, started the game very well.

However, it was on the right that Chelsea started to create the first chances thanks to the partnership that Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke are beginning to form. Crystal Palace held on as best they could until, in the 25th minute, Nico Jackson made it 1-0 after a great counter led by both Englishmen.

Second consecutive game with a goal for the Senegalese striker, who in the coming days will extend his contract until 2033.

Far from slowing down, Chelsea continued to dominate the game and should have went into the break with a much bigger lead. Other than a couple of long-range shots, Crystal Palace hardly bothered a Robert Sanchez who was a spectator in the first half. In fact, Nico Jackson himself could have gone in with a brace after a free header from the penalty spot.

Mental fragility

After the break Palmer came close to scoring with a free-kick that Dean Henderson turned away from the top corner as Palace were asleep. But it was then when Eze picked up a loose ball outside the box to make it 1-1 in the 53rd minute, making Robert Sanchez’s save useless.

The equalizer finally woke up a Crystal Palace that, in 10 minutes of the second half, had already generated more chances than the first half. Maresca, for his part, was quick to react and introduced Joao Felix before the hour mark to try to shake things up. Eze’s goal did a lot of damage to a Chelsea side that showed signs of mental weakness in the face of adversity.

Problems began to accumulate and, with 15 minutes to go, Malo Gusto had to leave the field due to injury. Without Reece James, who is still suspended, Caicedo had to play at right back, leaving Enzo as the only reference in midfield. However Palace missed several clear counterattacks.

After Palmer’s chance at the start of the second half, Chelsea didn’t trouble Dean Henderson again until Nico Jackson, in stoppage time, missed a one-on-one. The Blues pressed during the last minutes, but lacked imagination to break the defensive block as Crystal Palace ended up taking their first point of the season. A field where they had not scored since 2017.