Trevoh Chalobah reflected on a “dream” Premier League debut for Chelsea as he scored in front of a packed Stamford Bridge crowd during Saturday’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Three days after lifting the European Super Cup and less than 48 hours since announcing the £97.5million return of striker Lukaku, the dominant hosts cruised to victory courtesy of goals from Marcos Alonso, Christian Pulisic and academy graduate Chalobah.
With Chelsea leading 2-0 after the break thanks to Alonso and Pulisic, any hopes of an unlikely comeback for Palace were extinguished as Chalobah raised the roof with a stunning strike from distance in the 58th minute.
The 22-year-old - loaned out to Ipswich, Huddersfield and French club Lorient in te last three seasons - was given time and space deep inside Palace territory and duly advanced to unleash a low, arrow-like drive which found the net via the left post.
Chalobah dropped to his knees after scoring to further delight the Chelsea fans in the biggest Stamford Bridge crowd since the coronavirus pandemic struck in March 2020, with more than 38,000 turning out.
"It is a dream for a boy like me being here and to play for my home club is unreal," said Chalobah.
"As I was getting closer to the goal I though I might as well shoot and just went for it.
“I didn't know the ball went in, I did not know what to do. I was over the moon."
Additional reporting by PA and Reuters.
