Eze denied stunning free-kick as Chelsea held by Palace in goalless draw
Eberechi Eze was denied what would have been a memorable farewell strike as Crystal Palace held Chelsea to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.
The midfielder, heavily linked with a move to Tottenham before the transfer deadline, started despite doubts over his involvement and seemed to deliver a fairytale opening. His curling free-kick from 20 yards flew beyond Djordje Petrovic in the 13th minute, sparking wild celebrations in the away end.
But referee Darren England, after a VAR review, ruled the goal out. Palace defender Marc Guehi — himself a reported Liverpool target — was adjudged to have been standing within one metre of Chelsea’s defensive wall, a rarely enforced rule introduced in 2019. The decision left Oliver Glasner’s side frustrated after an energetic first-half performance in which Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maxence Lacroix also went close.
Chelsea, who paraded their Club World Cup trophy before kick-off, looked flat for long periods. Their truncated pre-season — only 13 days after beating Paris Saint-Germain in New Jersey 35 days ago — told in a disjointed display.
Mauricio Pochettino handed league debuts to Estevão Willian, Liam Delap, Andrey Santos, João Pedro and Jamie Gittens, but despite flashes of promise, the Blues rarely troubled Sam Johnstone until late on. Santos saw a low effort saved while Delap dragged wide.
For Palace, the result was creditable but underscored the uncertainty clouding their final weeks of the transfer window. With Eze and Guehi both attracting heavyweight interest, Glasner may be forced into reshaping his side before September.
Chelsea, meanwhile, remain a work in progress. Their lavish spending has again delivered an influx of talent, but cohesion and sharpness remain elusive. The reception at the final whistle reflected that: muted applause for a team still struggling to find rhythm.Eberechi Eze was denied what would have been a memorable farewell strike as Crystal Palace held Chelsea to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.
The midfielder, heavily linked with a move to Tottenham before the transfer deadline, started despite doubts over his involvement and seemed to deliver a fairytale opening. His curling free-kick from 20 yards flew beyond Djordje Petrovic in the 13th minute, sparking wild celebrations in the away end.
But referee Darren England, after a VAR review, ruled the goal out. Palace defender Marc Guehi — himself a reported Liverpool target — was adjudged to have been standing within one metre of Chelsea’s defensive wall, a rarely enforced rule introduced in 2019. The decision left Oliver Glasner’s side frustrated after an energetic first-half performance in which Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maxence Lacroix also went close.
Chelsea, who paraded their Club World Cup trophy before kick-off, looked flat for long periods. Their truncated pre-season — only 13 days after beating Paris Saint-Germain in New Jersey 35 days ago — told in a disjointed display.
Mauricio Pochettino handed league debuts to Estevão Willian, Liam Delap, Andrey Santos, João Pedro and Jamie Gittens, but despite flashes of promise, the Blues rarely troubled Sam Johnstone until late on. Santos saw a low effort saved while Delap dragged wide.
For Palace, the result was creditable but underscored the uncertainty clouding their final weeks of the transfer window. With Eze and Guehi both attracting heavyweight interest, Glasner may be forced into reshaping his side before September.
Chelsea, meanwhile, remain a work in progress. Their lavish spending has again delivered an influx of talent, but cohesion and sharpness remain elusive. The reception at the final whistle reflected that: muted applause for a team still struggling to find rhythm.
