Former Premier League referee Mike Dean believes Chelsea should have been awarded a second-half penalty in their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

For Enzo Maresca the frustration grows. He may have said his team were not part of this season's title battle and four winless top-flight fixtures has all-but confirmed this over the festive period.

A draw to Everton, losses to Fulham and Ipswich Town, now a stalemate at Selhurst Park with Oliver Glasner's Eagles leaves Chelsea nine points adrift of Liverpool, who have two games in hand at the top.

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Cole Palmer put the Blues ahead early and the visitors looked to press on. Somehow a cushion did not arrive, allowing Jean-Philippe Mateta to equalise with less than 10 minutes remaining.

However, it might not have come to that if this afternoon's referee Tim Robinson had pointed to the spot in the 63rd minute, as Dean believes he should have.

Pedro Neto raced towards the loose ball in Palace's 18-yard box - marginally trailed by opposite full-back Tyrick Mitchell.

"I think it’s a penalty kick. I think Neto’s got there first, knocked the ball away and Mitchell’s caught him from behind," Dean said as Sky Sports' referee analyst upon review.

The Blues man went to ground as a result of the challenge but play was waved on. VAR Paul Tierney did not look to influence a rewrite of his colleague's call, nor has the Premier League's Match Centre account on X released a statement as they would do for reviewed decisions.

Dean conclusively added: "So, I think it should be a penalty. He’s probably looked at it and thought he might have got a touch on the ball but I’ve slowed it down a few times and he hasn’t touched the ball. I think it should have been an intervention and a definite penalty."