Chelsea vs Crystal Palace LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the fallout from Stamford Bridge
The Champions League trophy and the Super Cup were on display at Stamford Bridge before Chelsea’s stroll to victory over Crystal Palace. The silverware glittered in the sun. Thomas Tuchel’s team shone, too. The European champions dispatched Patrick Vieira’s side with the minimum of fuss.
Two first-half goals from Marcos Alonso and Christian Pulisic meant Chelsea never really had to build up a sweat. Trevoh Chalobah, the academy graduate making his Premier League debut, added a third after the break. It was all too easy.
A long winter lies ahead but the promise of more glory hung in the warm west London air. With Romelu Lukakuwaiting in the wings and options galore in the squad, Tuchel cannot fail to be optimistic. Chelsea were bright, their passing and movement were sharp and they allowed Palace little room to gain a foothold in the game.
Vieira, by contrast, must have felt a shiver. The Frenchman said before the game that his team will need time to adjust. With their 4-4-2 setup and lack of ambition it looked like Roy Hodgson had picked the side. Their lack of ambition and general aimlessness bodes badly for the season. Relive all the action below:
Premier League: Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace
67 min: Change for Chelsea, Recce James coming on for Azpilicueta
Premier League: Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace
65 min: Chelsea just looking sharper and fitter than Palace. However in fairness to the away side, they’ve been chasing shadows for the majority of the game.
Werner ghosts in behind the Palace defence, the striker tries to find Pulisic, but was up alone and didn’t know it.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace (Chalobah ‘58 ⚽)
Goal! And Chalobah adds a third for the home side with a rasping effort from well outside the area.
The defender had all the space in the world to set himself and take aim, but none the less a fantastic strike from the youngster.
Game well and truly over now.
Premier League: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
56 min: Palace making two changes, as Christian Benteke comes on for Mateta and Jeffrey Schlupp is replaced by Joachim Andersen
Premier League: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
54 min: And just as I say that, Palace break on the counter, and Zaha should’ve really done better. He dithered on the ball a little, and it give Rudiger just enough time to race back and make a block.
Premier League: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
52 min: The second half picking up where the first half ended: Chelsea in complete control.
Palace can’t get near the ball, the home side making them do all the running.
You can see Chelsea adding another couple of more by the end of the game.
Premier League: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
48 min: Another free kick for Alonso from a dangerous area, but this one skies over the bar.
Premier League: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
46 min: Second half kicks off.
No changes for either side. Can Palace up their game after a poor first half performance?
Premier League: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace
Half time at Stamford Bridge.
Very, very comfortably stuff here from the home side. Crystal Palace been nothing short of awful.
Wonderfully executed free kick from Alonso to give Chelsea the lead, and Pulisic adding the second was more than deserved.
Chelsea defenders Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Trevoh Chalobah have hardly had a kick of the ball, as the entire half was played in Palace’s half of the pitch.
Alonso is getting acres of space down the right hand side, and no one from the opposition seems to be tracking the left-back.
This could get a lot worse for Patrick Vieira and co. in the second half.
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