Palace snatch deserved draw as Blues start to nosedive towards exit from top four contention
By Paul Lagan at Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace 1 v Chelsea 1
From cruising into a Premier League title challenge, Chelsea have nosedived to the point where finishing in the top four is looking increasingly unlikely following a 1-1 draw away to Crystal Palace.
The Eagles by contrast will be delighted they secured another point to ease any serious fears of being dragged into a relegation battle.
Ten points have been lost by the west Londoners since they last tasted the joy of a league win and that was a lucky 2-1 defeat of Brentford at Stamford Bridge on December 15.
Since then a draw at Everton and two defeats - to Fulham and mighty Ipswich Town have them looking over their shoulders at resurgent Newcastle, Bournemouth, who they play on January 14, - all looking to kick-out the fourth-placed Blues.
Chelsea need an squad injection of vitamin B12 as they appear to be anaemic when in the opposition's final third, and increasingly fragile at the back, especially when the fullbacks are placed under pressure.
Palace know their limitations. They know they have to stay in the game in the first half.
If they do that, they know they can increase the tempo and put the opposition under pressure.
They did that perfectly against a Blues side who frankly looked one-dimensional and relatively easy to play against when they don't have the ball.
After a nondescript start, where both sides were trying to find any sort of tempo and rhythm, the visitors decided to take the led on 14 minutes.
A lovely dummy by on-loan winger Jadon Sancho on the left created acres of space for him to run into.
He cut in to the penalty area, before slipping the ball to in -running Cole Palmer.
The young superstar took one touch before sliding a deft left footer from eight yards out, under the body of Marc Guehi and in to the inside netting of Dean Henderson's left post.
Nicolas Jackson could have volleyed the ball home on 20 minutes from a free-kick but opted to hit the back of the stand behind the goal instead.
That miss was equalled by Josh Acheampong, who was unchallenged at the far post from a Palmer corner but fluffed his lines by heading wide on 27 minutes.
Palace's first real effort on goal came on 34 minutes, when Chelsea were stretched by a deep cross-field ball to the right.
The ball was cut back to Jean-Philippe Mateta, at the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, but his snatched shot, while on target was deflected away for a corner.
This signalled strong pressure on the Blues rearguard.
Jackson, again on 38 minutes should have doubled the lead, when a curling Palmer effort sent the forward free.
He cut inside Guehi. But his outside of the boot, right-footed curler did not end up in the back of the Palace net.
There were no changes by either side at half-time, but the Eagles should have levelled the score three minutes in.
Eberachi Eze scuffed an edge of the area shot just wide as the Blues were once again cut apart on the left.
Palace continue to expose the Blues on either flank, yet their fin al pass into the penalty area is not up to standard , allowing the Blues to escape.
A wonderful header by Chris Richards seemed destined for the back of the net after Eze's perfect right-sided free kick. But Chelsea stopper Robert Sanchez, produced an acrobatic save to tip the ball over his crossbar, on 55 minutes.
Palace brought on Daichi Kamada for Doucoure on 67 minutes.
Enzo and Jackson had excellent chances to extend their lead with two minutes of each other – both times they inched the ball wide of goal.
A last-ditch block by Levi Colwill on 73 minutes denied Mateta a goal, after Sancho was dispossessed close to the Chelsea area.
Mateta's right-footer was powerful and destined for the top corner of the net.
Jackson's game ended on 81 minutes, he was replaced by Marc Guiu.
That only spurred the Eagles on and they were level two minutes later.
Chelsea were cut apart once again with Eze in the penalty area to tap the ball to Mateta would outmuscled Marc Cucurella to slot home past Sanchez.
It was a deserved equaliser as Chelsea were content to sit back and waste time.
The Eagles goal survived a VAR intervention.
Noni replaced Sanch0 for Chelsea while the Eagles' Eddie Nketiah replaced Eze – both on 87 minutes.
And that was that.
Teams: Palace: Henderson, Mitchell, Lacroix, Guehi, Sarr, Lerma, Eze, Munoz, Mateta, Richards, Doucoure
Subs: Turner, Nketiah, Schlupp, Clyne, Kamada, Riad, Devenny, Kporha, Agbinone
Chelsea: Sanchez, Cucurella, Colwill, Neto, Enzo, Jackson, Sancho, Palmer, Caicedo, Gusto, Acheampong
Subs: Jorgensen, Disasi, Tosin, Noni, Felix, Nkunku, James, Guiu, Veiga
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