Hakim Ziyech scored a last-minute winner as Chelsea edged past Crystal Palace on their return to Premier League action.
Thomas Tuchel’s side last played in the top flight almost a month ago when they defeated Tottenham, and have had a week’s rest since winning the Club World Cup last Saturday.
It looked like they would be frustrated by their hosts but Ziyech popped up at the back post to stroke in a delightful volley from Marcos Alonso’s cross.
Moroccan Ziyech had converted earlier in the second half when he swept home following Jack Butland’s save, but Romelu Lukaku was adjudged to be offside by VAR.
Vicente Guaita had made good saves in the first half from N’Golo Kante’s effort and Antonio Rudiger’s long range thunderbolt, before the Palace goalkeeper was taken off at half-time because of a knee injury.
The home side, meanwhile, did not have a single shot on target in the entire contest – both Michael Oliseh and Wilfried Zaha failing to work Edouard Mendy from promising positions.
Lukaku struggles with limited supply
Winners keep going until the very end, a quality illustrated perfectly by reigning world and European champions Chelsea at Selhurst Park as they scored the decisive goal in the 89th minute.
Up until that point, they had been finding it difficult to make inroads against a resolute Palace backline, with striker Lukaku particularly suffering.
Without injured wing-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell, Tuchel switched from a 5-3-2 to a 4-3-3 formation, but the Belgium international lacked any service and had just seven touches of the ball in the whole game.
Lukaku netted in both games at the Club World Cup but has now netted just once in the past eight games in domestic action and question marks remain about whether he fits into the Chelsea system.
He was involved in the disallowed goal on 75 minutes when a thumping shot was batted out for Ziyech to pounce on, but Lukaku failed to time his run and was caught offside.
His team-mates Kante and Rudiger did force Guaita into action in the first half and substitute Butland thought he was on the way to a clean sheet before Ziyech struck for his third consecutive Premier League game.
In the end, a stubborn display ended up being a disappointing day for Palace boss Patrick Vieira and there will be some concern after his side extended their winless run to six games in the league.
In-form Oliseh should have done better when he screwed wide in the first half and Zaha may be left feeling he could have netted too, but the Ivorian side-footed wide and flashed a shot across goal when searching for the equaliser in injury time.
Player of the match
ZiyechHakim Ziyech
Crystal Palace
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Squad number6Player nameGuéhiAverage rating
6.08
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Squad number7Player nameOliseAverage rating
6.06
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Squad number13Player nameGuaita
Average rating5.94
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Squad number3Player nameMitchell
Average rating5.86
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Squad number8Player nameKouyaté
Average rating5.86
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Squad number10Player nameEze
Average rating5.81
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Squad number18Player nameMcArthur
Average rating5.77
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Squad number17Player nameClyne
Average rating5.74
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Squad number16Player nameAndersen
Average rating5.73
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Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew
Average rating5.71
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Squad number15Player nameSchlupp
Average rating5.70
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Squad number11Player nameZaha
Average rating5.66
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Squad number1Player nameButland
Average rating5.58
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Squad number14Player nameMateta
Average rating4.84
Chelsea
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Squad number22Player nameZiyech
Average rating7.18
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Squad number7Player nameKanté
Average rating6.67
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Squad number2Player nameRüdiger
Average rating6.61
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Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
Average rating6.59
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Squad number8Player nameKovacic
Average rating6.55
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Squad number16Player nameMendy
Average rating6.54
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Squad number3Player nameAlonso
Average rating6.41
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Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Average rating6.28
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Squad number4Player nameChristensen
Average rating6.21
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Squad number10Player namePulisic
Average rating6.09
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Squad number31Player nameSarr
Average rating5.78
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Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek
Average rating5.76
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Squad number5Player nameJorginho
Average rating5.72
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Squad number9Player nameLukaku
Average rating4.82
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13GuaitaSubstituted forButlandat 45′minutes
- 17Clyne
- 16Andersen
- 6Guéhi
- 3Mitchell
- 8Kouyaté
- 18McArthurSubstituted forMatetaat 90+2′minutes
- 9J AyewSubstituted forEzeat 85′minutes
- 7OliseBooked at 68mins
- 15Schlupp
- 11Zaha
Substitutes
- 1Butland
- 4Milivojevic
- 10Eze
- 12Hughes
- 14Mateta
- 20Benteke
- 22Édouard
- 34Kelly
- 45Adaramola
Chelsea
Formation 4-3-3
- 16Mendy
- 4Christensen
- 6Thiago Silva
- 2Rüdiger
- 31SarrBooked at 62minsSubstituted forAlonsoat 74′minutes
- 7KantéSubstituted forKovacicat 74′minutes
- 5JorginhoSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 74′minutes
- 10PulisicBooked at 90mins
- 22Ziyech
- 9Lukaku
- 29HavertzBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 3Alonso
- 8Kovacic
- 11Werner
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 14Chalobah
- 17Saúl
- 23Kenedy
- 68Vale
- Referee:
- David Coote
- Attendance:
- 25,109
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Crystal Palace 0, Chelsea 1.
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Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 0, Chelsea 1.
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Foul by Kai Havertz (Chelsea).
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Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Christian Pulisic (Chelsea).
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Cheikhou Kouyaté (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Cheikhou Kouyaté (Crystal Palace).
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Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta replaces James McArthur.
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Kai Havertz (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Kai Havertz (Chelsea).
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Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Cheikhou Kouyaté.
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Goal! Crystal Palace 0, Chelsea 1. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Marcos Alonso with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Cheikhou Kouyaté (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Marc Guéhi.
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Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).
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Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Tyrick Mitchell.
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Substitution, Crystal Palace. Eberechi Eze replaces Jordan Ayew.
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