Chelsea 1-2 Crystal Palace: Bakary Sako and Joel Ward score in superb win

Crystal Palace condemned Chelsea to defeat in Jose Mourinho's 100th league home game as Bakary Sako and Joel Ward earned a shock 2-1 win.

Sako, fresh from scoring the winner against Aston Villa last weekend, turned the ball home with 25 minutes remaining of Saturday's Premier League clash after Yannick Bolasie's cut back.

Substitute Radamel Falcao headed in Chelsea's equaliser from Pedro's superb cross, but Palace went up the other end and scored through Ward, who headed home Sako's cut back with nine minutes remaining.

The champions, who won their first four games last season, have now taken just four points out of a possible 12, while Palace earned an historic first win at Stamford Bridge since 1982.

Chelsea's defeat, only their second at home in the league under Mourinho, means the reigning champions are already eight points behind leaders Manchester City.

The hosts were forced into the one change as Gary Cahill replaced the suspended John Terry, and their defence stood tall as Palace threatened on the break in the first half.

Sako forced Thibaut Courtois into a save with his feet as Palace broke, and the visitors should have been ahead just before the half-hour mark.

Wilfried Zaha twisted and turned on the left before slipping the ball inside the on-running Yohan Cabaye, but the Frenchman's effort from 15 yards was straight at Courtois, who got down well to scramble clear.

For Chelsea, Pedro went close on his home debut after turning inside and curling just wide with his left foot, before Alex McCarthy made a fine double save for Palace.

First, the goalkeeper batted clear Diego Costa's low effort in the area, before getting up well to clear Cesc Fabregas' rebound with the help of defender Scott Dann.

Courtois denied Sako a second time after the break, getting down low to his right to clear a long-range effort, but the summer signing from Wolves got his goal on 65 minutes.

Receiving Bolasie's cross, Sako first saw his shot blocked by Cesar Azpilicueta, before reacting quickly to strike the ball high into the goal from 15 yards for 1-0.

Mourinho reacted by bringing on Colombian Falcao, who reacted by heading Pedro's cross into the bottom right corner past McCarthy just minutes after Bolasie had missed a clear chance from six yards out at the other end.

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But two minutes after the equaliser Palace got their winner through Ward, who headed in Sako's cut-back on the stretch from six yards.

Superb defending from Dann, who blocked Fabregas' effort inside the area in the final moments of the game, saw Palace over the line, and Alan Pardew's side now have nine points from a possible 12 in their opening four games.

SSNHQ's Andy Burton's verdict from Stamford Bridge

Remarkably, in Mourinho's 100th Premier League home match as Chelsea manager, he's suffered defeat. It's only the second time he's lost at home in the Premier League, the last time being against Sunderland in April 2014. Palace fans can't believe it, and a small smattering of boos fill the air from the home supporters. 

This wasn't in the script, but Crystal Palace will feel they deserve it. They were resolute and dogged in the first half, containing and frustrating their hosts, and took their chances in the second. Pardew will be a happy man tonight. Jose, not so much… One thing is for sure, Chelsea's movements in the transfer window between now and Tuesday night will be worth watching.

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Phil Thompson's Soccer Saturday verdict

"[Branislav] Ivanovic is frightened of anyone with pace, he backs off. [Cesar] Azpilicueta was certainly not at it, he [Jose Mourinho] substituted him. [Nemanja] Matic, one of his leaders on the pitch, was not doing it and he substituted him. Willian was another one that got bought off. So there's a whole host of players there. [Diego] Costa has to realise he can't keep losing his rag with people.

"They had the chances but there is something wrong. It's like a complacency about a lot of these players. We saw it with City when they won the title last year and were are seeing this with this Chelsea side now."

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Player ratings

Chelsea: Courtois (6); Ivanovic (6), Cahill (5), Zouma (5), Azpilicueta (5); Matic (5), Fabregas (5); Pedro (6), Willian (4), Hazard (5); Diego Costa (5)

Subs: Loftus-Cheek (5), Kenedy (5), Falcao (7)

Crystal Palace: McCarthy (7), Ward (8), Dann (8), Delaney (8), Souare (7), McArthur (7), Cabaye (6), Zaha (7), Puncheon (7), Sako (8), Wickham (7)

Subs: Chung-yong Lee (6), Ledley (6), Bolasie (7)

Man of the match: Bakary Sako