Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea: 5 Talking Points & Tactical Analysis | Premier League 2018-19

#2 Woodwork comes to Crystal Palace's rescue twice

This corner only met the crossbar

Just when it looked like Crystal Palace's stubborn resistance would pay dividends, Willian and Ross Barkley ratted the cross bar in the space of four minutes.

In fact, no team has hit the frame of goal more times than the Blues. Marcos Alonso, who ventures forward with all the license in the world, has hit the post more than any other player in the Premier League this season.

Palace worked extremely hard off the ball, and to their credit, the woodwork stepped up when Vicente Guaita was beaten.

In the 35th minute or so, Eden Hazard beat a couple of opponents on the half-turn and won a foul. Willian, who was having an ordinary game, stepped up and beat the Palace shot-stopper, but saw his effort smash the outside of the post.

A couple of minutes later, the Brazilian tested Guaita, who thwarted it for a corner. Hazard's corner found Barkley, but the Englishman's overhead kick hit the same side of the post again.