Chelsea’s hopes of a much-needed victory were dashed as Crystal Palace equalized late to draw 1-1, leaving the Blues winless in four Premier League games and nervously looking over their shoulder in the race for a Champions League spot.
Jean-Philippe Mateta struck in the 82nd minute, blasting home a close-range shot after collecting a ball from Eberechi Eze. The goal was enough to ease Palace’s relegation concerns and deny Chelsea all three points.
Chelsea had taken a deserved lead in the 14th minute through Cole Palmer, who fired an angled shot into the net after a fine setup from Jadon Sancho.
The winger’s clever footwork on the left wing saw him evade his marker and set up Palmer for the opener.
Despite dominating the first half, Chelsea struggled to finish the game off, and Palace took advantage.
The draw left Chelsea in fourth place with 34 points, just one ahead of Newcastle United in fifth, who earlier beat Tottenham 2-1.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, moved to 15th, six points above the relegation zone.
After a first half where Chelsea controlled possession, Palace came out stronger in the second half, with Eze forcing a save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and Chris Richards testing Sanchez with another effort.
Chelsea had opportunities to extend their lead, with Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson both narrowly missing the target before Mateta’s equalizer.
Chelsea’s recent form, including losses to Ipswich Town and Fulham and a 0-0 draw against Everton, has raised concerns about their ability to challenge for the title.
Coach Enzo Maresca had urged his players to finish off the game after halftime, but errant finishing saw them squander their chances.
