Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, left, and Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell, center, fight for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace, at the Stamford Bridge Stadium in London, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Spending hundreds of millions of dollars on new players is proving no guarantee of victories for Chelsea in the Premier League.
A 1-1 home draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday meant Chelsea has won just one of its first three league matches this season, despite a 6-2 rout of Wolverhampton last weekend.
Eberechi Eze’s fine curling shot from the edge of the area in the 53rd minute secured a point for Palace, which spent most of the summer transfer window desperately trying to keep its best players. Eze fits into that category.
Chelsea, on the other hand, brought in 12 players at a cost of around $290 million in the latest huge outlay by its American investors. Only one new signing, Pedro Neto, started against Palace at Stamford Bridge, and it was two players signed last year who combined for the 25th-minute opener as Nicolas Jackson tapped in from Cole Palmer’s pass.
Chelsea has accumulated four points from a possible nine, after opening the season with a loss to Manchester City.
Newcastle beat Tottenham 2-1 thanks to Alexander Isak’s 78th-minute winner at St. James’ Park to stay unbeaten on seven points. Dan Burn’s own-goal in the 56th brought Spurs back into the match after Harvey Barnes’ goal in the 37th.
Manchester United hosts Liverpool later Sunday in what is historically the biggest game in English soccer.
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