Crystal Palace secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Selhurst Park, extending the Blues’ winless run into the new year. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s late equalizer in the 82nd minute canceled out Cole Palmer’s early strike, leaving Chelsea’s title ambitions hanging by a thread as their slump stretched to four games.
In frigid conditions, Chelsea started brightly and took the lead in the 14th minute. Jadon Sancho delivered a moment of magic on the right flank, beating Chris Richards with skill before crossing for Palmer, who calmly slotted past Dean Henderson. The Blues dominated the early exchanges, with wingers Pedro Neto and Sancho causing trouble for Palace’s full-backs, Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Muñoz.
Chelsea nearly doubled their lead when Neto whipped in a cross for Sancho, but his first-time volley sailed over the bar in the third minute. Despite their control, the visitors struggled to find a second goal, and Palace grew into the game after the break.
The Eagles started the second half strongly, with Eberechi Eze spurning a golden chance just after the restart. Robert Sánchez was called into action soon after, pulling off a fine save to deny Richards from close range.
Chelsea had their own shout for a penalty when Mitchell lunged in on Neto, but VAR cleared the challenge, leaving the Blues frustrated. Palace’s persistence paid off in the 82nd minute when Mateta capitalized on a defensive lapse to fire home the equalizer.
The result lifts Palace six points clear of the relegation zone, while Chelsea remain in fourth place, missing the chance to leapfrog Nottingham Forest. The Blues’ inability to secure victory further dents their title aspirations as they continue to search for form in 2025.
