Chelsea opened the new Premier League season with a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues came into the season with high hopes after winning the Club World Cup, and were looking to start the campaign in style against Palace.
Enzo Maresca suffered a frustrating afternoon, though, as Chelsea simply couldn’t break down a resolute Eagles side.
Palace could have even won it, but VAR ruled out Eberechi Eze’s first-half free-kick.
Both sides looked for the crucial winning goal, but it just wouldn’t come as Chelsea started with a stalemate.
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Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images
Winner: Josh Acheampong
Injury problems in the heart of defence meant Enzo Maresca brought 19-year-old Josh Acheampong into the starting XI.
Throwing a teenager into the fray against a big, physical and experienced striker such as Jean-Philippe Mateta could have been a recipe for disaster, but Acheampong looked promising.
The England Under-20 international didn’t look out of place against Mateta, one of the Premier League’s most dangerous strikers.
A couple of sloppy passes threatened to put Chelsea in trouble, and Mateta won some duels in the second half, but Acheampong can be pleased with his all-round display at this stage in his development.
Loser: Cole Palmer
The second half of last season was a little difficult for Cole Palmer, but we saw him thrive at the Club World Cup as Chelsea ran out champions.
Many expected Palmer to take that form into the new season, but he was quiet against Palace.
Palmer registered just one key pass and no shots on target against Palace, cutting a rather frustrated figure for the Blues.
Palmer’s position in the Chelsea starting XI is not going to be in question any time soon, but this off-colour opening to the season is not what anybody wanted or expected to see.
Winner: Alejandro Garnacho
Chelsea started with new signing Jamie Gittens on the left flank, but he didn’t find too much joy against Palace right wing-back Daniel Munoz.
Pedro Neto moved over to the left when Gittens was substituted, but he couldn’t unlock the Palace back line from that flank either.
Neither Gittens nor Neto did enough to slow down rumours of a new left-winger arriving at Stamford Bridge, and that could be music to the ears of Alejandro Garnacho.
Chelsea continue to show an interest in signing Garnacho from Manchester United, having been exiled by Ruben Amorim.
Garnacho wants the move to Stamford Bridge, and the Argentinian will hope that Sunday’s blank will lead to a Chelsea switch in the coming days.
Loser: Enzo Maresca
Through all of the doubts last season, Enzo Maresca still came away with a Europa League trophy and the Club World Cup to his name.
Big things were expected of Maresca’s Chelsea side this season, but this was a disappointing opener.
Chelsea lacked intensity throughout, couldn’t find a way to get Palmer into the game, and the build-up play from the back without Levi Colwill looked a little clunky.
Maresca will hope to sign another centre-back to solve the latter problem, but this was another instance of Chelsea looking a touch flat – and it’s down to the Italian to figure it out.