Player ratings as Blues drop points in London derby

FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE – Chelsea failed to make their dominance pay in a 1-1 draw at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Enzo Maresca is still without a win at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League after watching his side drop two points when they should have killed the game.

The Eagles battled hard to eventually get a grip in the game and snapped a run of two straight defeats to open the new campaign.

How the game unfolded

The first half-chance of the game swung Chelsea’s way after 12 minutes when Cole Palmer was afforded time and space on the edge of the box to shoot, but his effort curled just past the post.

A similar opening showed itself at the other end as Adam Wharton let fly from 20 yards, with his shot easily held by Robert Sanchez.

Chelsea should have taken the lead midway through the first half when a long ball by Malo Gusto was flicked on by Nicolas Jackson into Noni Madueke, who slipped in behind Marc Guehi but rolled the ball wide.

Madueke had another fine chance to score moments later when he raced onto the end of an Enzo Fernandez clipped pass over the top, and this time his volley was denied by Dean Henderson.

The pressure eventually told and Chelsea went ahead with their next opportunity. Madueke raced around the back of Will Hughes, who couldn’t make a cynical foul as he was on a yellow card, and played in Palmer, who squared for Nicolas Jackson to tap in at the far post.

In the second half, Henderson produced another stretch save to keep out Palmer, this time from a 20-yard direct free-kick.

But against the run of play, Palace found a leveller soon after. Chelsea failed to clear an Eagles set piece and the ball fell to Eberechi Eze on the edge of the box. With a touch to set himself, the England international picked out the far corner of Sanchez’s net.

Palace snatched control of the game and went close to going ahead when Daniel Munoz’s cut-back was met by Daichi Kamada. His strike was fumbled by Sanchez, but mercifully for the Spaniard the ball landed on top of the net.

At the beginning of eight minutes of stoppage time, a good chunk of Stamford Bridge thought the hosts had gone back in front when Jackson fired into the side-netting.

Seconds later, Jackson raced in the clear again after beating the offside trap, but Henderson did well to stand his ground and deny him at the near post.

GK: Robert Sanchez – 5/10 – No chance of getting near Eze’s thunderbolt. Didn’t have too much to do other than…