Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news

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·4 Januari 2025

Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news

It’s South London against West London at Selhurst Park this weekend, as Crystal Palace entertain Chelsea.

Crystal Palace showed character to end 2024 in winning style as they came from behind to beat Southampton.

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Oliver Glasner has almost a full squad at his disposal with Will Hughes the only fresh injury concern after sustaining an ankle injury last weekend. The Austrian manager confirmed that Cheick Doucoure will start in midfield alongside Jefferson Lerma.

Club captain Marc Guehi is back from suspension but Adam Wharton is still unavailable. Young Brazilian prospect Matheus Franca has returned to training after eight months out with a broken rib.

Chelsea will be searching for their first victory in three matches after a recent blip.

Club captain Reece James is ready to return after being an unused substitute against Ipswich Town while Romeo Lavia is nearing full fitness.

Final prep. 😁
– Jumat, 3 Januari 2025

However, Enzo Maresca has announced that Wesley Fofana could miss the remainder of the season. The Frenchman’s hamstring injury is worse than initially feared. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is still sidelined with a knock and Benoit Badiashile isn’t expected back until February.

Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – Match Preview and team news

Form

Crystal Palace: WLLDW

The Eagles succeeded at home for only the second time this campaign after edging out bottom-of-the-table Southampton.

Trevoh Chalobah equalised before Eberechi Eze netted the winner with a thumping finish past Aaron Ramsdale.

Following an underwhelming start to the season, Palace have lost only two of their last 11 league matches. They are sitting five points away from the relegation zone and three points this afternoon could see them climb into 13th position.

Chelsea: WWDLL

Enzo Maresca and his players have struggled in recent weeks, with three successive disappointing results.

A goalless stalemate with Everton and a lacklustre derby defeat to Fulham on Boxing Day had a lasting effect on the Blues.

Ipswich Town had not won at home this season until they overcame Chelsea in a 2-0 win at Portman Road last weekend. Liam Delap caused plenty of problems and former Chelsea player Omari Hutchinson came back to haunt his old side with an accurate strike.

The recent slide of form has seen the West Londoners drop to fourth, with Nottingham Forest and Arsenal bypassing them. Crucially, they are now ten points off league leaders Liverpool having played a game more.

Last Meeting: Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace, Premier League, 1st September 2024

Chelsea had to settle for a point in the last encounter as Crystal Palace frustrated the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

Cole Palmer came closest to netting in the opening exchanges with his measured effort flying just wide of the post.

Chelsea kept knocking on the door with Noni Madueke missing the target with a poked attempt.

The hosts eventually breached Dean Henderson’s net as they outnumbered the Palace defence with a blistering counter-attack. Palmer found the unmarked Nicolas Jackson, who had the simplest of tasks to tap in.

After the break, Henderson produced a stunning stop to deny Palmer’s 25-yard free-kick.

Enzo Maresca’s side were made to rue their squandered opportunities when Eberechi Eze equalised. The Palace midfielder picked up possession on the edge of the box before curling an unstoppable strike past the outstretched glove of Robert Sanchez.

The momentum swung in the visitors’ direction as Sanchez denied Daichi Kamada from a similar distance. Both teams searched for a winner but neither side could find the decisive goal as the game ended all square.

Predicted Lineups

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell; Doucoure, Lerma; Sarr, Eze, Mateta.

Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Sancho, Jackson

Who is the referee?

Tim Robinson will be the match official. He will be assisted by Tim Wood and Steve Meredith while Simon Hooper will be the fourth official. The VAR will be Paul Tierney and he will be assisted by James Mainwaring.