Crystal Palace Shocks Chelsea, Beats Premier League Champ At Stamford Bridge

LONDON — More than just a blip in form, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea Premier League title defense is in trouble after only four games.

There’s a long way to go but a 2-1 home loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday left the champions trailing irresistible leader Manchester City by eight points and added the gloom around Stamford Bridge.

This stadium once seemed to be impenetrable for Chelsea’s Premier League opponents. Not this season. Although this was only Mourinho’s second home league loss in 100 games, it followed a 2-2 draw with Swansea on the opening day in west London.

“It’s difficult to not only overcome the quality of the team but the manager here,” Palace manager Alan Pardew said. “This team today just had a belief they were going to win.”

Not since 1982 had the south London team won a game at its rival north west of the River Thames.

“We deserved more, I don’t want to say we deserved to win because it’s not true,” Mourinho said.

“Four points in four points is a very bad start.”

John Terry, a previously solid presence at the heart of Chelsea’s defense until this season, was forced to watch from the stands after being sent off at West Bromwich Albion last weekend.

Terry’s absence did not seem much of a loss in the first half when Chelsea controlled a tepid encounter without scoring, but the home defense was leaky after the break.

The game came to life in the 65th minute when a speedy break down the left flank by the visitors led to Yannick Bolasie crossing to Bakary Sako, who resisted Cesar Azpilicueta’s challenge to put the ball beyond goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Mourinho’s response was to replace Willian with striker Radamel Falcao and the Colombia striker delivered in the 79th with his first goal since January during his ill-fated season with Manchester United.

The creator was fellow new recruit Pedro Rodriguez, who whipped in the cross that Falcao met with a diving header at the near post.

“He’s a boy who came from a difficult period,” Mourinho said. “It’s a goal that means nothing for the team.”

That’s because inside two minutes, Chelsea was stunned again.

Bolasie and Sako helped to create the goal this time for Palace. Sako, who was playing in the second tier last season, nudged the ball back for the unmarked Joel Ward to head into the net.

Not since November 2011 has Chelsea conceded two or more goals in consecutive games on home soil, before Mourinho returned for a second spell in charge in 2013.

Thumbnail photo via Matt Dunham/The Associated Press