Chelsea’s campaign has begun in underwhelming fashion, with Enzo Maresca’s fresh and dynamic team only achieving a goalless result at home versus Crystal Palace.
To be fair, Chelsea had a stroke of fortune when Eberechi Eze’s outstanding first-half free-kick was ultimately disallowed by VAR.
The final result saw both sides take a point, although Chelsea were fortunate not to lose, as many of their recent arrivals failed to live up to expectations.
Take a look below at our assessment of Chelsea’s players from the match against Palace…
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**Chelsea player ratings**
**Robert Sanchez** – *(7/10)* – While he wasn’t overly busy, Sanchez produced four key stops when required, sparing Chelsea from what could’ve been a worse outcome.
**Reece James** – *(6/10)* – Provided some threat going forward, but had difficulty dealing with Eze’s presence on his flank, struggling against the fellow England teammate.
**Marc Cucurella** – *(6/10)* – Advanced positively, but struggled to produce anything decisive in the final third. He may still be getting used to partnering with new teammate Jamie Gittens down the left wing.
**Trevoh Chalobah** – *(6/10)* – Steady if not standout, Chalobah gave a reminder that Chelsea have dependable cover during Levi Colwill’s absence.
**Josh Acheampong** – *(7/10)* – For someone lacking top-level experience, Acheampong delivered a confident display, holding firm defensively and appearing composed in possession.
**Moises Caicedo** – *(7.5/10)* – A display full of drive and intensity in midfield, Caicedo underlined his value to the team, though he couldn’t quite bring cohesion in attack or defense.
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**Enzo Fernandez** competing for Chelsea against Crystal Palace
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
**Enzo Fernandez** – *(5/10)* – Seemed somewhat out of rhythm and sluggish, not stepping up when Chelsea needed inspiration in a tightly contested affair. His performance may be affected by fatigue following the Club World Cup run.
**Cole Palmer** – *(4.5/10)* – Fell short of his usual standards, offering minimal threat, which is especially problematic as the team’s attacking play often revolves around him.
**Jamie Gittens** – *(6/10)* – A respectable first appearance, though not exceptional – his aggressive approach will likely become a strong asset once chemistry with teammates improves.
**Pedro Neto** – *(5/10)* – Couldn’t replicate the level shown during the Club World Cup, with little going his way in this outing. He’ll need to raise his game, especially given the increased battle for starting roles.
**Joao Pedro** – *(5/10)* – Lacked adequate support and service, and while he tried, he wasn’t able to assert himself either. A step up in influence is needed to keep his place in the lineup.
**Substitutes**:
**Estevao Willian (6)**, **Liam Delap (6)**, **Malo Gusto (6)**, **Andrey Santos (6)**
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