Chelsea were forced to settle for a frustrating 0-0 draw after surviving an early scare against Crystal Palace in their Premier League opener on Sunday.
Eberechi Eze appeared to have given Palace the lead with a stunning 20-yard free-kick in the 13th minute, but the goal was controversially ruled out following a VAR check.
Referee Darren England disallowed the strike after replays showed defender Marc Guehi was standing within one metre of Chelsea’s wall, an infrequently enforced rule introduced in 2019.
The decision denied Palace a dream start and what could have been a fairytale farewell for Eze, who has been heavily linked with Tottenham. Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maxence Lacroix also spurned further chances for the visitors, who were the more threatening side in the first half.
Chelsea, playing their first competitive match since lifting the Club World Cup just 35 days earlier, struggled to impose themselves.
The Blues handed debuts to summer arrivals Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens from the start, while teenage substitute Estevao Willian impressed after coming off the bench, injecting energy down the right flank.
Despite a flurry of late opportunities through Estevao, Liam Delap, and Andrey Santos, Chelsea were unable to break the deadlock, leaving Stamford Bridge with just a point and plenty of questions.
For Palace, the disallowed goal and missed chances will sting while uncertainty remains over the futures of Eze and Guehi in the final weeks of the transfer window.
