Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace
Premier League debutant Trevoh Chalobah’s 25-yard strike was the icing on the cake as Chelsea stormed to a 3-0 opening-day win over Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace.
The European champions dominated from the first whistle to the last and got their campaign up and running when Marcos Alonso curled in a superb free-kick just before the half hour.
With Palace failing to register a single shot before the break, Chelsea cemented their lead with five minutes of the half remaining through Christian Pulisic, who scored a fifth in five games against the Eagles from a Vicente Guaita save.
The rout was complete just before the hour when Chalobah, driving forward into space, unleashed a powerful low drive which Guaita could only turn onto the post and in to mark a perfect Premier League debut for the 22-year-old.
Things were less rosy for Vieira, whose side took 62 minutes to register their one and only shot on target and who offered little sign of a more progressive future under their new manager.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Mendy (6), Chalobah (7), Christensen (6), Rudiger (7), Azpilicueta (7), Jorginho (7), Kovacic (6), Alonso (8), Pulisic (8), Mount (7), Werner (6).
Subs: James (7), Havertz, Emerson (n/a).
Crystal Palace: Guaita (6), Ward (5), Guehi (6), Kouyate (6), Mitchell (4), McCarthur (5), Riedewald (5), Schlupp (4), Ayew (4), Mateta (4), Zaha (5).
Subs: Benteke (5), Andersen (5), Rak-Sakyi (5).
Man of the match: Marcos Alonso
