Chelsea’s Premier League struggles continued on Saturday as Jean-Philippe Mateta’s late equaliser earned Crystal Palace a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park, leaving the Blues winless in four games and clinging to fourth place in the table.

Cole Palmer had given Chelsea a first-half lead with a clinical finish, but Mateta’s 82nd-minute strike, set up by Eberechi Eze, denied the visitors a much-needed victory and eased Palace’s relegation worries.

How the Game Played Out

Chelsea dominated the first half, with Palmer opening the scoring in the 14th minute.

The England forward capitalised on a brilliant run from Jadon Sancho, who dummied his marker at the halfway line before delivering a precise pass to Palmer, who fired in an angled shot.

Despite Chelsea’s control in the opening 45 minutes, the second half told a different story.

Palace grew into the game, with Eze nearly equalising in the 49th minute and Chris Richards forcing a reflex save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez shortly after.

The Blues had opportunities to put the game out of reach, with Enzo Fernández and Nicolas Jackson both missing narrowly in quick succession.

However, their inability to finish proved costly when Mateta latched onto Eze’s pass and blasted home from close range in the 82nd minute.

The Bigger Picture

Chelsea’s inability to secure three points leaves them in fourth place, just one point ahead of an in-form Newcastle United side who beat Tottenham 2-1 earlier in the day.

The Blues are now looking over their shoulder in the race for a Champions League spot, with their recent loss of form casting doubt on their aspirations for the season.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, moved to 15th in the table and sit six points clear of the relegation zone.

The result provides a much-needed boost for Roy Hodgson’s side, who had been struggling to pull away from danger.

Chelsea’s Recent Struggles

The draw marked Chelsea’s fourth consecutive Premier League game without a win, following losses to Ipswich and Fulham, and a goalless draw against Everton.

The dip in form has derailed any hopes of a title challenge and raised concerns about their ability to maintain a top-four finish.

Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Chelsea from Manchester United, expressed frustration after the match:

“It’s kind of frustrating to concede late in the game. We have to learn from this and move on. We have to finish our chances.”

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca also reportedly urged his team to be more clinical at half-time, but the Blues’ errant finishing continued to haunt them.

What’s Next?

Chelsea will need to regroup quickly, as the race for Champions League qualification heats up.

With Newcastle breathing down their neck, the Blues cannot afford further slip-ups.

Crystal Palace, buoyed by their late equaliser, will aim to build on this result as they look to steer clear of the relegation zone.

For Chelsea, the focus now shifts to rediscovering their early-season form. Whether they can do so in time to secure a top-four finish remains to be seen.