Crystal Palace earned a late point with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Selhurst Park, as the Blues' winless run continued until 2025.
It was Jean-Philippe Mateta who responded for Palace in the 82nd minute after Chelsea looked to be closing in on a win with Cole Palmer's early goal.
Mateta's goal further exacerbated Chelsea's festive slump as their winless run extended to four matches and their bold title hopes faltered.
With weather warnings promising temperatures near zero, it was not surprising that Palmer shot the ball past Dean Henderson to open the scoring (14). And while the finish was impressive, Jadon Sancho's assist stole the show as he beat Chris Richards with great skill before finding Palmer with a cross inside the area.
The early exchanges were entirely owned by the visitors as the Chelsea winger enjoyed loads of the ball as they troubled Tyreek Mitchell and Daniel Munoz. The first opportunity fell in Chelsea's way in a move that determined the course of the match when Pedro Neto sent a ball into the area in search of Sancho, who fired a shot directly over the crossbar in the third minute.
Palace developed into the match atmosphere after Chelsea's goal, with the encouragement of the Selhurst fans, and the intensification of their efforts, as Matita saw his chance looming wide after a pass from Munoz.
But the first half went in favor of Enzo Maresca's side, who had two chances as Nicholas Jackson fired a shot wide before 18-year-old Josh Acheampong, making his Premier League debut, fired wide.
Palace came out of the break the better of the two teams, with Eberechi Eze wasting a great chance moments after the start of the second half. Palace continued to struggle to find an equalizer as Robert Sanchez made an impressive stop to keep out Richards.
Chelsea felt they should have received a penalty kick when Mitchell tackled Neto, but after a short VAR check, the challenge was cancelled. Palace's efforts were eventually rewarded with a point that put them six points clear of the relegation zone.
Chelsea, who were denied the opportunity to surpass Nottingham Forest, remained in fourth place.
Lack of faith has cost Chelsea
Analysis of William Pettyberry at Selhurst Park:
“When Enzo Maresca said no one expected Chelsea to be in the title race, he was right. Levi Colwell echoed his coach's sentiments, and downplayed the team's title acumen. Against Crystal Palace, we saw a Chelsea side relinquish control when they were in charge just like they had They were satisfied with their short-lived title ambitions.
“The festive period can be tough for most teams, but it ended a 12-match unbeaten run as things started to improve under Maresca. However, despite finishing second before relegation, both players and coach refused to get involved.” Title fight.
“They may not be chasing the title but Chelsea certainly now believe they are not. The freedom and expression with which Chelsea played has gone out the window after they appeared to have taken their foot off the gas. They now seem to be withering due to their lack of confidence, which is reflecting “In miserable celebrations.”
Glassner: We were thrilled by Munoz's performance
Crystal Palace president Oliver Glassner:
“I think it's a well-deserved point. We were struggling, especially in the first 30 minutes. Chelsea were clearly the better team. We were very passive, losing balls very quickly and the pressure increased until we were 1-0 down. I actually think at the end of the first half, our performance was better, We played more in the first half.
“Daniel Munoz, especially in the second half, with his runs… I think before the goal it was the fourth or fifth ball he was winning in the other half. With his passion, his intensity and his play, he is very important. For us.
“But in the end, we can draw against Chelsea if the whole team performs well. And that's what we did, especially in the last 60 minutes.”
Mariska: We did enough to win
Chelsea president Enzo Maresca:
“We probably did enough to win the game today. Between the first half and the second half, I think we created enough chances to win the game.
“But in football, you have to be decisive otherwise the game is always open, especially in this stadium. Any transition, any corner boosts the energy for them. Unfortunately in the end, we conceded but overall I think we did enough today to win the game.” “. .
On Josh Acheampong's first appearance:
“All the players were good today but if I had to pick one player, Josh was the best player. He can be a big player for this club. We decided today because we saw he was ready. Today he showed how good he is.”
“Even if we didn't decide to buy players or sell players, we already knew that Josh was good enough. But with Benoit (Badiachel) and Wesley (Fofana) injured, we'll see if something can happen.”