Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 32 minutes

Superb from Josh Acheampong! That’s two outstanding bits of work from the 19-year-old defender, a properly crunching tackle on Daniel Munoz preventing the Colombian wing-back crossing, and Acheampong then up to his feet in a flash to beat Jean-Philippe Mateta to pick up the pieces. A frustrated Mateta takes his legs away, earning the Crystal Palace striker a yellow card.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:34

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 30 minutes

A huge chance! Jamie Gittens skips inside two Crystal Palace players and pinballs a shot through a thicket of bodies. Marc Guehi can’t sort out his feet and Trevoh Chalobah thus has free swing at the ball seven yards from goal. One would uncharitably describe that as a centre-half’s finish, though, a hoick at it flying up into the rafters.

Ah, perhaps that’s unkind – there was a flick off Guehi’s posterior that went unspotted. It still probably would have cleared the crossbar but it definitely made it look worse.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:32

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 28 minutes

Eek! A heavy collision between Daniel Munoz and Marc Cucurella sends the Spaniard spinning away. A caution for Munoz, with both right-backs now in the referee’s book. Cucurella is alright despite a bumpy landing.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:29

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 27 minutes

Will Hughes and Adam Wharton are going to be outnumbered at times in the Crystal Palace midfield with Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer both slotting in near Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. The pair are doing a very decent job so far, though.

(Getty Images)

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:28

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 26 minutes

A pretty vital intervention from Jamie Gittens, there, the new Chelsea signing back sliding in on Daniel Munoz in a timely manner just as the Crystal Palace defender launches into a charge forward. Gittens turns and shoots in virtually one motion, stinging the shins of a blocking Palace player.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:27

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 24 minutes

Reece James is surprised to be shown a yellow card after halting a Crystal Palace attack with a bundle in the back. Eberechi Eze stands over the free kick – this one isn’t within his range, you’d think.

Adam Wharton, in the end, takes it short to Eze, who progresses to within shooting distance and tamely curls into the embrace of Robert Sanchez.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:25

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 22 minutes

Adam Wharton’s rump deflects a Pedro Neto shot into the stands beyond the Crystal Palace goal. Another chance for Chelsea to pile bodies into the box.

Josh Acheampong and Trevoh Chalobah both pose imposing figures above the comparatively small Marc Guehi, but the similarly-sized Jean-Philippe Mateta prevents the pair making much of Reece James’s nicely judged delivery. Goal kick.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:24

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 21 minutes

That’s more like it. Cole Palmer drifts into a pocket of space and connects with a leftward pair, following his pass to then have it returned to him. A shot or cross from 20 yards ends up being neither, bending away from Dean Henderson’s left-hand post and over the crossbar, too.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:22

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 20 minutes

Chelsea have been very deliberate in their passing play so far, a few glimpses of brighter and breezier spells in possession in there but control primarily the focus.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:21

Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace, 17 minutes

A shame for Crystal Palace, that, having really built the pressure there and deserved to go ahead. They’ll be pleased with how they’ve settled in though, after the early aerial bombardment.

(Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Harry Latham-Coyle17 August 2025 14:19