New Delhi: Chelsea and Crystal Palace will lock horns with each other at the Stamford Stadium today at 6 pm. The Blues have booked their berth in the Conference League proper during the week despite defeat in Switzerland and will look to rebuild on last week’s triumph over Wolves while the Eagles are still in search of their first victory of the season.
Chelsea F.C.
Enzo Maresca, manager of Chelsea, after the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux in Wolverhampton, England, on August 25, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Pantano | MI News) (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
New manager Enzo Maresca silenced some of the critics last Sunday though when Chelsea hit Wolves for six at Molineux with the performances of Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer earning them places in the upcoming England squad.
After leveling the score at 2-2 at halftime, Chelsea blew away Wolves early in the second half thanks to a quick hat-trick from Madueke, with Palmer providing assistance on all three goals. This was Chelsea’s first road victory in almost two and a half years.
Although a formidable, lavishly assembled Chelsea team lost on the road to Servette on Thursday, it is still uncertain what to anticipate from Chelsea this season. Despite all of their troubles last season Chelsea will complete a league double over Palace once again extending their winning streak against the Eagles to 14 matches.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner during the Carabao Cup second round match at Selhurst Park, London. (Photo by Steven Paston/PA Images via Getty Images)
The appointment of Oliver Glanser revitalised and settings around Selhurst Park, leaving the Eagles soaring after a turbulent season. But unfortunately, they have zero points on the league table and have yet to register their first win of the season. Palace’s poor defending has also contributed to those losses. Eberechi Eze’s disallowed free kick against Brentford was a huge talking point as it came at a critical time of the game.
This season is the first time Palace have lost their opening two games since the Frank de Boer era when they lost their first seven matches but managed to recover to finish 11th.
In their last match, EFL Cup second round the Eagles trashed Norwich by a 4-0 scoreline and will be confident going to Stamford to face the Blues.
Team News
Chadi Riad of Crystal Palace reacts during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and West Ham United FC at Selhurst Park on August 24, 2024 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Enzo Maresca would keep his side unchanged with only Mykhaylo Mudryk in danger of losing his place in the side. Pedro Neto could get a full debut after laying on Joao Felix for Chelsea’s sixth goal. Reece James and Romeo Lavia will not be available as Lavia is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury while James is still on the comeback trail with a thigh issue and is also serving a suspension from last season.
Crystal Palace will largely stay unchanged after going with their strongest lineup in the midweek against Norwich with Eze, Mateta, and Adam Wharton all featuring from the first whistle. Matheus Franca will join Chadi Riad on the sidelines due to injury.
Riad’s injury is the most problematic thing for Glasner after Joachim Andersen’s departure. Sam Johnstone has also left for Wolves meaning Dean Henderson will be the starting goalkeeper this season. Matt Turner is arriving from the Nottingham Forest who will provide great competition and cover the space.
Head-to-Head
Chelsea holds a good historical record against Crystal Palace and have won 38 out of the 65 matches played between the two teams, while Crystal Palace have 12 victories. The Blues have won each of their last 13 matches against the Eagles in the Premier League. Another win would equal the League record for successive wins against a single opponent currently held by Manchester City over Bournemouth.
Crystal Palace have lost 24 of their 30 matches against Chelsea in the Premier League which is their highest loss rate against a single opponent in the history of the competition. Chelsea have lost their first game at home this season by a 2-0 scoreline against Manchester City. They have not lost both their home games at the start of the campaign since the 1977-78 season.
Predicted lineup
Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Pedro Neto; Jackson
Crystal Palace: Henderson; Clyne, Guehi, Richards; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Kamada, Eze, Mateta
When, where, and how to watch the Chelsea vs Crystal Palace match in India?
The Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Premier League 2024-25 match will be telecast live by Star Sports Network in India. Fans can join the Star Sports Network at 6:00 pm today to watch the game. For those looking for a streaming option, the match will also be streaming live on the Disney+ Hotstar website and app.
Match Prediction
Chelsea will be confident going into the match after last week’s win over Wolves. They will look to get another win to get up in the points table. Noni Madueke will look to replicate his last weekend’s heroic performance.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, have struggled to register themselves on the points table, though they have improved under Oliver Glasner. The Eagles will pose a good challenge for the hosts, but the Blues are a better team on paper and should be able to register another win.
Final Scoreline: Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
Chelsea will host Crystal Palace at the Stamford Stadium today as the Blues will look to keep their winning streak going while the Eagles will look to register themselves on the points table. Check out the latest on team news, lineups, and match insights. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
