Chelsea were left nursing a Club World Cup hangover as they stumbled to a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace in their Premier League opener on Sunday, a result that flattered the Blues more than it did the visitors.
Fresh from their triumph over Paris Saint-Germain in last month’s Club World Cup final, hopes were high at Stamford Bridge. But Enzo Maresca’s side looked sluggish and lacked a cutting edge in attack, despite a few bright moments from debutant Estevão.
Palace thought they had taken an early lead through Eberechi Eze, whose thunderous free-kick beat Robert Sánchez all ends up — only for VAR to intervene. A review showed Marc Guéhi had pulled Moisés Caicedo out of position in the wall, leading to the goal being chalked off for obstruction.
Estevão, Chelsea’s much-hyped Brazilian teenager, came closest to breaking the deadlock. The 17-year-old, who scored against Chelsea for Palmeiras in the Club World Cup final, showed flashes of brilliance but sliced wide from a promising position in the box.
Despite dominating possession, Chelsea lacked rhythm and imagination in the final third. Cole Palmer and João Pedro, outstanding in the 3-0 win over PSG just 35 days ago, were anonymous, forcing Maresca to turn to his bench for inspiration.
Palace, meanwhile, were organised and disciplined throughout. Guéhi and Eze — both reportedly targets for Liverpool and Tottenham respectively — started amid ongoing transfer speculation and were among the game’s standout performers.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest brushed aside pre-season concerns with a confident 3-1 win over a heavily rotated Brentford side at the City Ground.
Chris Wood netted twice, either side of a debut goal from Dan Ndoye, to give Forest the perfect start to their campaign. It was a rough introduction for new Brentford boss Keith Andrews, who inherits a squad stripped of its core.
The Bees have endured a difficult summer, losing manager Thomas Frank to Tottenham, captain Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal, and top scorer Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United. Yoane Wissa was also absent amid reports of an imminent move to Newcastle.
Igor Thiago pulled one back for Brentford with a late penalty — his first goal for the club — but it was no more than a consolation.
Attention now turns to Old Trafford, where Arsenal — Premier League runners-up for the last three seasons — begin their title charge against a revamped Manchester United side. The Gunners are seeking their first league title since 2004.
