Crystal Palace 0
Chelsea 2 (Drogba 27, Tiago 73)

Crystal Palace gave mega-rich Chelsea a run for their money last Wednesday night, but were eventually seen off by goals from £32million worth of talent Roman Abramovich picked up this summer.

New £24million striker Didier Drogba and £8m Portuguese winger Tiago scored their first Chelsea goals at either end of the game as the Blues moved top and condemned Palace to the foot of the table.

Iain Dowie has been able to spend just £3.6million on new talent with Fitz Hall his highest outlay at £1.5million, while new Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has spent a cool £70million, so the contrast in fortunes could not have been greater as the national media, Sky TV and 24,953 fans descended on Selhurst Park.

In the end quality won through with two classy finishes, but not before plucky Palace produced a spirited display which will boost confidence for the season ahead.

Dowie pulled a shock in his selection, dropping Dougie Freedman for Ecuadorian striker Ivan Kaviedes after just 15 minutes of Premiership football, while Mourinho opted for his attacking line-up with Cole, Kezman and Tiago.

Palace made the brighter start, with Fitz Hall and Aki Riihilahti working hard to deny Chelsea possession and on 13 minutes they had the first genuine chance when Wayne Routledge swung over a great corner, but Danny Granville unchallenged just eight yards out, sent his header wide of Petr Cech's goal.

When Chelsea went in front, it was a move of the highest quality, as Kezman played a great ball inside Emmerson Boyce for Babayaro to swing in a perfect cross which Drogba rose to powerfully head home.

Cole looked dangerous and saw a volley well saved by Speroni, before two second-half efforts flashed narrowly wide. In the period immediately after the break however, it was Palace who enjoyed the best of things with Kaviedes and the busy Johnson shooting off-target.

However, Chelsea grabbed their second on 74 minutes when a fine move saw Tiago waltz around Granville following Adrian Mutu's square pass and flash a right-footed 20-yard shot across Speroni and into the bottom corner.

Fitz Hall's late shot, which struck John Terry, was the nearest Palace came to breaking down a well-marshalled Blues' defence in the second half. But Kaviedes had a promising if quiet debut, and Joonas Kolkka finally started to suggest he will be a worthwhile acquisition, giving Paolo Ferreira some nervy moments at right back.

Mark Hudson was booked late on a for a bad tackle from behind which saw Drogba substituted with an ankle injury. That unfortunately was the worst damage Palace inflicted.

Afterwards Dowie said: "I just cannot fault the effort they put in. We gave them a few problems and there were key moments like Danny Granville's clear header, and Drogba's which he put away nicely.

"It was always going to be tough after that, but my lads gave everything."

Man Of The Match: Fitz Hall faded in the second half but was an absolute man-mountain in the first. Good feet, fair pace and great tenacity.