Chelsea’s winless league run continued on 4 January as they were forced to settle for a 1–1 draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Softfootball reports. Cole Palmer struck early to give the Blues control, but a late response from Jean-Philippe Mateta ensured the points were shared in South London.
Enzo Maresca’s side started brightly and were rewarded after 14 minutes when Palmer finished a crisp move from the edge of the box, steering his shot into the bottom corner. Chelsea looked confident and composed, moving the ball with purpose and keeping Palace pinned back for long stretches of the first half.
Despite Chelsea’s 63% possession and territorial dominance, Palace gradually grew into the match. Eberechi Eze and Ismaïla Sarr began to find spaces between the lines, forcing the Blues to defend deeper as the hosts pushed back.
Chelsea carved out 15 shots but, remarkably, only managed one effort on target — Palmer’s goal — a statistic that reflected their ongoing struggles with chance conversion. Maresca introduced Noni Madueke and Marc Guiu late on in an attempt to restore attacking sharpness, but Palace had the momentum.
The hosts’ pressure finally told in the 82nd minute. Substitute Daichi Kamada linked play cleverly before feeding Mateta, who held off his marker and rifled a low shot past Robert Sánchez to level the contest. Selhurst Park erupted as Palace sensed a possible winner, but Chelsea held firm in the closing minutes.
The draw adds further frustration for a Chelsea side searching for consistency and end product in the final third. Palace, meanwhile, will be encouraged by their resilience and the impact of their substitutes, earning a deserved point after a spirited second-half display.
Chelsea move on with concerns about attack and confidence, while Palace continue to show they can compete with higher-placed sides through organization and intensity.
