The London derby between Chelsea and Crystal Palace has already delivered controversy, with Eberechi Eze’s stunning free-kick ruled out by VAR, leaving the scoreline locked at 0-0 and sparking heated debate across the footballing world.
Palace, fresh from their Community Shield victory over Liverpool, started brightly. Their high press, led by Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta, unsettled Chelsea early on. In the 11th minute, Moisés Caicedo’s clumsy foul on Ismaila Sarr handed Palace a dangerous free-kick. Eze, renowned for his set-piece brilliance, curled a sublime effort over the wall and into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations among the away fans.
But referee Darren England immediately referred the goal to VAR. After a tense two-minute review, replays showed Will Hughes making contact with Wesley Fofana in the box just as Eze struck the ball. The goal was overturned, leaving Palace players furious and manager Oliver Glasner incensed on the touchline.
The decision divided opinion. Jamie Redknapp, on Sky Sports commentary, called it “overly pedantic,” arguing that the foul was negligible and that VAR had “sucked the joy” from a world-class strike. Palace fans on social media branded it another case of “VAR robbery,” while Chelsea supporters insisted the call was correct. The incident revived memories of Eze’s disallowed free-kick against Brentford last season, when the referee blew the whistle too early.
On the pitch, the game has remained finely balanced. Palace’s defense, marshalled by Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix, has frustrated Chelsea’s front three of Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, and Jamie Gittens, while Mateta forced Robert Sánchez into a save with a powerful header. Chelsea, missing Nicolas Jackson through suspension and fielding a makeshift defense of Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah, have looked shaky at times. Still, they grew into the game, with Palmer denied by Dean Henderson after clever build-up play from Jadon Sancho in the 25th minute.
The disallowed goal has only heightened the tension, with Palace feeding off the perceived injustice. Adam Wharton’s incisive passing and Daniel Muñoz’s overlapping runs continue to trouble Chelsea, while the Blues rely on Caicedo and Enzo Fernández to steady the midfield and build momentum.
Beyond this match, the incident adds to the wider debate over VAR’s role in the Premier League. PGMOL has claimed the system corrected over 100 errors last season, yet moments like this fuel the argument that VAR too often complicates rather than clarifies.
As things stand, it remains goalless at Stamford Bridge. But with both sides pushing for a breakthrough, and controversy already shaping the narrative, this clash promises more drama before the final whistle.
