AS HIS BLUES FAIL TO LAUNCH

ENZO MARESCA clung onto Chelsea's clean sheet like a comfort rug as big-spending Blues began the season with a whimper.

- Mike Walters

After spectacular pre-match fireworks to celebrate their Club World Cup triumph, Maresca's side served up the equivalent of soggy blue touchpaper.

But while Chelsea immediately lost ground on the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City on Chelsea's truncated preseason as an excuse for their lack of sharpness yesterday.

He added: “Palace have played about eight games, we have played just two, so we tried our best. We didn't lose a clean sheet.

“We competed until the end, we tried to win the game and had some chances with Estevao and Andrey Santos.