Crystal Palace have claimed their first points - and goals - of the Premier League season thanks to a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Selhurst Park.
The Eagles ended their 731-minute wait for a goal when Yohan Cabaye forced the ball down off his chest, which bounced off David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta on its way into the back of the net.
Although Tiemoue Bakayoko drew Antonio Conte's charges level just seven minuts later via a thumping header, the returning Wilfried Zaha slotted past Thibaut Courtois to set Palace on their way to all three points.
Here is how Sports Mole covered the action in Southeast London.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary of today's Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea.
When your club has zero points and zero goals in the league, the last team you want to be facing is the champions, but that is exactly what we have in store today at Selhurst Park.
In addition, Palace "boast" a goal difference of minus 17 in the league, and their main striker Christian Benteke is sidelined. A tall order today, then.
For all their star quality, however, Chelsea come into this game having been comprehensively outplayed in their last game before the international break against Manchester City, and they currently sit six points behind the pace-setting Manchester clubs - which could become more should United get a result at Liverpool in the next 10 minutes.
Could Palace spring up a shock this afternoon by getting a result against the Blues, or will the Eagles suffer more misery in a game where they are the underdogs? Will they manage to get a league goal at the very least?
Without further ado, here are the team news from Selhurst Park.
PALACE STARTING XI: Speroni, Ward, Dann, Sakho, Schlupp, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Cabaye, McArthur, Townsend, Zaha
CHELSEA STARTING XI: Courtois, Alonso, Cahill, Luiz, Azpilicueta, Moses, Fabregas, Willian, Bakayoko, Hazard, Batshuayi
PALACE SUBS: Henry, Tomkins, Fosu-Mensah, Kaikai, Sako, Puncheon, Riedewald
CHELSEA SUBS: Caballero, Rudiger, Pedro, Musonda, Zappacosta, Christensen, Scott
Palace boss Roy Hodgson has made four changes from the XI that started the 4-0 defeat to Manchester United before the international break.
The good news for the Eagles is that Wilfried Zaha is back from injury, having been sidelined with a knee complaint since the opening game of the season, and starts today for the Premier League strugglers.
The bad news, however, is that first-choice goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has failed a fitness test on his calf complaint, so Julian Speroni will make his first league start for 18 months.
The other changes for Palace see Scott Dann coming in for Damien Delaney and James McArthur replacing Jason Puncheon. As mentioned before, Christian Benteke is sidelined with a hamstring injury and will play no part today.
Antonio Conte has also opted to make four changes, with David Luiz and Victor Moses returning from the 1-0 defeat to Man City before the international break - the duo replaces Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen at the back.
As expected, N'Golo Kante misses out due to an injury picked up playing for France and is replaced by Willian, while up front, Michy Batshuayi replaces Alvaro Morata, who is nursing a hamstring complaint.
The early Premier League game between Liverpool and Manchester United has finished goalless, by the way, so Chelsea are now seven points off the top of the table.
Hodgson, who was appointed as Frank de Boer's replacement at Palace a month ago, has sung the returning Wilfried Zaha's praises, telling reporters at his pre-match presser: "He can make a difference. There's no reason not to consider him. He's a good player who, in the past, has made some very important moves and done some very important things for Crystal Palace. The fans will be pleased to see him back because they associate him with some better moments."
Conte, meanwhile, bemoaned the absence of N'Golo Kante, telling the press: "This is a big loss for us. You know the importance of N'Golo for us, we don't have a player with the same characteristic we are not lucky in this position of the field. We approach seven games in one month and we have to find a different solution, maybe adapt a defender or young players. It is difficult to play with [Cesc] Fabregas and Tiemoue [Bakayoko] for seven games."
You really have to feel for Palace. Already they have made history for all the wrong reasons - the first side in English professional football history to lose their first six games of the season without scoring a single goal. And the current run of fixtures does not help - Man City, Man United, Chelsea and then high-flying Newcastle United.
Trying to change the club's DNA so quickly with the appointment of Frank de Boer was a tall order which didn't work, and now Hodgson has a massive task on his hands to prevent his side from eclipsing Derby County's dreadful Premier League season 10 years ago.
HEAD TO HEAD: Palace have triumphed in just one of their previous eight Premier League matches against Chelsea at Selhurst Park, winning 1-0 in March 2014 under Tony Pulis.
Chelsea have won the last two meetings at Selhurst Park, whilst Palace have won the last two at Stamford Bridge.
The last meeting between sides managed by Roy Hodgson and Antonio Conte was the 1-1 friendly draw between England and Italy in March 2015 - Palace's Andros Townsend scored England's goal.
Palace are enduring the second longest goalless run from the start of an English league season - their current drought of 630 minutes is surpassed only by Halifax, who went 730 minutes without a goal in the fourth tier in 1990.
Defeat at the hands of Chelsea would also establish another unwanted club league record of nine successive losses.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have won more points in Premier League London derbies than any other side in the competition's history, with a tally of 421 to date.
SCORE PREDICTION: Though Chelsea are missing several key players in their squad, I still reckon they will have too much quality for a Palace side severely lacking in confidence. I predict a 3-0 away win today.
Oh dear. Should have been Mrs S Massey-Ellis...
Not the first mistake #cpfc have made this season, but possibly the most unforgivable. #mrs pic.twitter.com/S7qdOjabAG — Chris Wise (@chriswisey) 14 October 2017
Both sets of players have just emerged from the tunnel. Not long to go until we're underway!
KICKOFF! Andre Marriner, today's referee, gets the action underway!
Chelsea are quick out of the starting blocks as they work the ball down the right-hand side but the move breaks down and Palace clear.
CHANCE! And it falls to the hosts as Townsend gets the better of Luiz down the left and sends a cross into the box which Zaha connects with, but he hesitates to have a shot and in the end Courtois keeps out the resulting effort with ease.
Here come Palace again as Milivojevic finds Van Aanholt with a defence-splitting pass, the Dutchman gets to the byline and whips the ball across the face of goal but Cahill does well to clear.
Chelsea have not really got into gear yet and another mistake at the back, this time from Azpilicueta who slips up in his own third, allows Townsend to break away again and play in Zaha, but a subsequent pass intended for Schlupp is overhit in the box.
GOAL! PALACE 1-0 CHELSEA (YOHAN CABAYE)
And Palace's long, long wait for a Premier League goal finally comes to an end, and against the champions no less!
Townsend's cross is chested down by Cabaye in the box, his subsequent touch is poor but the ball bounces off Azpilicueta and past Courtois!
Chelsea set about trying to find a way back into the game, but Willian's attempted pass to Moses over on the right flank is poorly hit and rolls behind for a goal kick.
Chelsea enjoy a good spell of possession in the Palace half before Azpilicueta delivers a ball into the middle but Batshuayi fails to make the most of it.
GOAL! PALACE 1-1 CHELSEA (TIEMOUE BAKAYOKO)
All of Palace's good work has been undone as Fabregas's corner is swung into the box and the home defence fails to pick up Bakayoko, who rises high and nods beyond Speroni for the equaliser!
Better from Palace as Zaha skips away from two defenders and fires towards goal, but Cahill gets in the way and the ball whistles past the far post, the subsequent corner just too heavy for Dann to get anything on the end of it.
The visitors now have a foothold in the game as Willian and Hazard combine on the left and find Fabregas, who tries to loop a ball in over the top, but it's cleared.
Despite Chelsea enjoying the bulk of possession at the minute, they're struggling to penetrate the Palace defence again, with another hopeful ball over the top cleared by Schlupp.
Willian picks up the ball in the Palace half and finds Hazard, who in turn produces a clever flick over the top for Batshuayi, but the striker had strayed offside.
We've just got reports that the goal by Cabaye has been revised to an Azpilicueta own goal.
CHANCE! A hopeful low cross from Moses in the box finds Alonso, who quickly gets a shot away but sees his strike deflect off Dann and wide of the goal for a corner - it's swung in and Batshuayi heads over from eight yards out!
Moses has pulled up on the right and looks to be in major discomfort, possibly a hamstring injury.
CHANCE! With Chelsea temporarily down to ten men, Townsend picks up possession 25 yards from goal and rifles a powerful effort just wide.
SUBSTITUTION: Moses cannot continue, with Davide Zappacosta taking his place on the pitch.
CHANCE! Hazard wins a free kick around 25 yards out following a clumsy challenge from Ward, which Fabregas takes and it's so close to a second for Chelsea, grazing the bar and going out!
More pressure from the visitors as the ball bounces around in the Palace box, but Batshuayi can't quite get a shot away before the ball is cleared.
GOAL! PALACE 2-1 CHELSEA (WILFRIED ZAHA)
Palace have withstood a lot of pressure and they've now been rewarded by retaking the lead! Sakho dispossesses Willian and finds Zaha on the left, who gets the better of Azpilicueta before sliding past Courtois!
HALF TIME: PALACE 2-1 CHELSEA
So that's the first 45 minutes over and done with, and Palace can be very proud of themselves with their first-half display, finally breaking their duck and going on to lead Chelsea 2-1 at the break!
Yohan Cabaye's effort, which came off Cesar Azpilicueta and was given as an own goal to the Chelsea defender, gave the Eagles the lead - and ended a run of more than 12 hours without a league goal - before Tiemoue Bakayoko equalised with a thumping header from a corner. But the hosts successfully weathered a dominant spell from Chelsea and, on the stroke of half time, Wilfried Zaha edged his side back in front.
The reintroduction of Zaha, available for selection again following two months on the sidelines, has revitalised the Eagles, who look much better balanced up top with him in the side, while Chelsea have been very lacklustre at the back - are they feeling N'Golo Kante's absence?
Stat-wise, the Eagles have enjoyed 46% possession, weighed in with five shots, two of which were on target, and won four corners. Chelsea claim the majority of possession with 54%, but have had three shots, only one of which was on target, in addition to winning three corners.
Crystal Palace score 2 goals in 35 minutes, having not scored in previous 730 minutes in the PL pic.twitter.com/3HrHFCLa2m — Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) 14 October 2017
KICKOFF: We're back underway for the second half - a huge 45 minutes for both sides here at Selhurst Park.
Neither side has made any substitutions during the break, though we have one change in the game so far due to Moses's first-half injury.
Cabaye tries his luck from long range but Courtois saves with ease.
CHANCE! Once again Fabregas strikes the woodwork, his ferocious shot from 25 yards out rattling the bar and leaving Speroni stranded, but it's eventually cleared!
CHANCE! Another effort from Fabregas, who is on hand to meet Zappacosta's cross but the effort flies high over the bar.
Palace are a completely different proposition with Zaha in the side - the winger slaloms past a number of challenges and feeds Townsend on the right, but the one-two doesn't work as Azpilicueta stops Zaha from turning on goal.
SUBSTITUTION: Second change of the day from Chelsea as Michy Batshuayi is replaced by Pedro.
Pedro gets immediately involved as he cuts inside from the left and fires towards goal, but his low effort is kept out by Speroni.
CHANCE! Zappacosta wins a corner as his cross is put behind by Sakho, which is swung in and followed up by a second corner, and on the latter one, Alonso sends a glancing header inches over the bar!
Two flags up in as many minutes as Fabregas tries to send lofted balls over the top of the Palace defence, but Zappacosta and then Pedro are offside both times.
SUBSTITUTION: That's all three substitutions used up for Conte today as Charly Musonda comes on to replace Willian.
CHANCES! Speroni gets down to keep out Pedro's low shot from the edge of the box and shortly after thwarts Zappacosta's chance.
BOOKING: Milivojevic hacks down Hazard to halt a Chelsea counter and ends up in Marriner's book for his troubles.
CHANCE! Musonda gets in behind after sneaking past Ward and latches on to a Fabregas pass but his volley flies over the bar.
CHANCE! Now Chelsea win a corner which is swung in by Fabregas, Alonso gets a firm header on goal but Speroni gets down low to keep the ball out.
SUBSTITUTION: Palace make their first change of the afternoon as Jason Puncheon comes on to replace Jeffrey Schlupp.
Palace enjoy a spell of possession in the Chelsea half but it comes to nothing as Townsend's effort sails over the bar.
Just under 10 minutes plus stoppage time for Palace to hang on, or for Chelsea to salvage something from this game, as Musonda attempts to slip Pedro in but Speroni gathers.
BOOKING: Dann brings Pedro down to break up a Chelsea counter and is rightfully shown a yellow card.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Hodgson makes two defensive changes as Timothy Fosu-Mensah replaces James McArthur and Jairo Riedewald comes on for Yohan Cabaye.
CHANCE! Courtois spills Townsend's long-range shot and Van Aanholt is on hand to meet the rebound, but he fires wide from just yards out!
BOOKING: Townsend breaks away down the right wing but is brought down by Bakayoko, which results in a caution for the Chelsea man.
CHANCE! Townsend makes progress down the right, beating Azpilicueta and getting his shot away but it's just yards wide of the far post! Five minutes of stoppage time announced.
CHANCE! Sakho so close to disaster as he tries a back-heel inside his own box and it drops to Fabregas but the Spaniard blasts wide!
FULL TIME: CRYSTAL PALACE 2-1 CHELSEA
And that's it! Against all odds, a Crystal Palace side that had until now not even scored a goal in the Premier League this season have beaten the reigning champions!
Yohan Cabaye's effort, which came off Cesar Azpilicueta, gave the Eagles the lead and, despite Tiemoue Bakayoko drawing Chelsea level, the inspirational Wilfried Zaha struck what turned out to be the winner on the stroke of half time!
That's all we have time for here at Selhurst Park but don't go anywhere as Sports Mole prepares to bring you match reports, post-match reactions and all the latest news from the football world! Thank you for following and, until next time, goodbye!
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
