Joao Pedro To Lead The Line | 4-2-3-1 Chelsea Predicted Lineup Vs Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Chelsea will welcome Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge this Sunday afternoon as they look to grab all three points in their Premier League season opener. The Blues secured a dominant 4-1 win over AC Milan in their last pre-season match, which should keep them in good spirits ahead of this London derby.

Enzo Maresca will opt for the 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to name a strong first XI for this game. We can expect to see Joao Pedro lead the line for the West London club up top.

4-2-3-1 Chelsea Predicted Lineup To Face Crystal Palace

Defence

Robert Sanchez will feature in between the sticks for the Blues after shipping in one goal in his last outing. Tosin Adarabioyo will function alongside Trevoh Chalobah at the centre of the Chelsea backline as they try to keep the opposition attackers at bay during the game.

Reece James will be a nailed-on starter at right-back while Marc Cucurella hopes to catch the eye on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will get the license to go forward and join in on the attack at every chance they get.

Jorrel Hato will provide cover for the defensive positions on the bench.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 10: Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea do a celebration lap with the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup trophies during the pre-season friendly match between Chelsea and AC Milan at Stamford Bridge on August 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Midfield

Enzo Fernandez will anchor the midfield along with Moises Caicedo as they focus on winning the 50-50 battles at the centre of the park. The gifted trio of Jamie Gittens, Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto will play just ahead of them as part of Maresca’s attack. All three of them need to combine well if they want to create enough chances for the Blues to win this contest.

Estevao, Tyrique George and Dario Essugo will have to settle for a spot on the bench as they wait for their chance to make an impact in the second 45 minutes if needed.

Attack

Joao Pedro will lead the charge for the London giants in the final third. He would be eager to find the back of the net and kick off his Premier League career at Chelsea in style this weekend.

Liam Delap will be available for selection on the bench and might come on to influence the game in the latter stages if required.