Palace punish wasteful Chelsea to claim unlikely point
EZE COMPANY: Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze in full flight at at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Pic: Steven Paston/PA Wire
Chelsea wilted in the late summer sunshine to allow Crystal Palace a draw that looked unthinkable in the first half hour.
Nicolas Jackson, whose new contract is said to be giving him nine more years at the chaos factory that is Stamford Bridge, poked Chelsea ahead after 25 minutes.
Enzo Maresca's Blues passed up a number of chances to double the lead and Palace came alive in the second half, with Eberechi Eze punishing the hosts with a well-struck leveller in the 53rd minute.
Chelsea failed to recover their earlier swagger - it was all so predictable from the Premier League's most unpredictable club.
Maresca confirmed afterwards that Jackson had penned a new deal, although he declined to confirm it took the Senegal striker to 2033, when presumably the Italian will long have been sacked like all his predecessors.
“I always had faith in him," said Maresca, who had been busy trying in vain to sign Napoli's Victor Osimhen in the window just closed. "The fact we were looking for another striker does not mean we didn’t have faith in him.
“He is signing a new contract. I don’t know exactly how many years. I am very happy. He is scoring goals. We are happy with him.”
Cole Palmer curled the game's first chance wide of the far post before Will Hughes was booked for hauling Jackson down on the run.
Noni Madueke, scorer of a hat-trick at Wolves last week, should have opened the scoring when Marc Guehi switched off but the new England senior recruit fired across goal and wide.
He was back again within seconds and again the Palace goal lived a charmed life. This time Madueke got in behind Tyrick Mitchell but goalkeeper Dean Henderson was able to deflect his connection over the bar.
A goal was coming though and it was Jackson who claimed it in the 25th minute. Madueke began a move that saw Palmer poke across goal, Henderson could not cut it out and Jackson pounced at the far post. The keeper required treatment on being caught on the head by team-mate Daniel Munoz but, luckily for Palace, was able to continue.
The second period began with Hughes fortunate to see a second yellow for yanking Palmer back. Palmer took it himself - and forced Henderson into a flying save.
“It was clear to all of us it was a second yellow card," Maresca moaned. "The only one who thought otherwise was the referee.
“We were 1-0 up. It completely changed. The reaction from their bench was quite clear but the fourth official told me the referee did not consider it a yellow card.
"This kind of thing for sure changes the game. It was clear second yellow card but the referee thinks in different ways.
"We completely deserved to win the game. We controlled the game. The performance was very good."
The England keeper was required from the corner to bat away Levi Colwill's back-post header and Palace hooked Hughes for Cheick Doucoure to keep 11 men on the pitch.
Suddenly Palace were level, in the 54th minute. Chelsea had a scare at the back post but half cleared their lines. Wharton seized on the loose ball, motored past Palmer and squared for Doucoure to try his luck from the edge of the box. Wesley Fofana blocked that but the rebound fell to Eze. The England man took aim coolly to curl beyond Sanchez's reach.
Palace were a team transformed, with Eze now a constant menace. Chelsea were reduced to scraps at the other end for a while, with Jackson booked for putting the ball in the net long after the whistle had gone.
Palace sent on summer signing Ismaila Sarr for Jean-Philippe Matata with just over 20 minutes remaining - and Chelsea lived dangerously again when Daichi Kamada let fly from the edge of the box. Sanchez was behind it - just - to deflect over the bar.
Jackson had a chance to win it deep in stoppage time but Henderson pulled off a great stop to deny him.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner admitted he had been lucky - with the Hughes incident.
“I don't know if he was lucky but it was a very big mistake from myself," he said. “My assistant said at half time to take him off but I decided to keep him longer. I am really happy the referee didn't destroy my Sunday.
"He was a little bit late but it was not a terrible foul. It was a good decision for the game because otherwise there would have been many yellow cards and we want to see 11 v 11."
: Sanchez 6; Gusto 7 (Mudryk 74), Fofana 7, Colwill 7, Cucurella 7; Caicedo 6, Fernandez 6; Madueke 6 (Nkunku 86), Palmer 6, Neto 5 (Felix 58, 5); Jackson 6.
Subs (not used): Jorgensen, Disasi, Adarabioyo Dewsbury-Hall, Casadei,, Veiga.
: Henderson 8; Clyne 7, Guehi 6, Richards 7; Munoz 7, Wharton 7, Hughes 6 (Doucoure 50), Mitchell 7; Kamada 7 (Schlupp 88), Mateta 6 (Sarr 69, 4), Eze 7.
Subs (not used): Matthews, Ward, Rodney, Umeh-Chibueze, Devenny, Agbinone.
: Jarred Gillett 6
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