Premier League: Crystal Palace vs Chelsea Live
Preview
Selhurst Park on Monday evening will give us Crystal Palace vs Chelsea as the blues visit with a sense of optimism, prepared to face Crystal Palace in a Premier League London derby. Despite Crystal Palace’s recent struggles, Chelsea’s confidence was boosted by their 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth-round replay. In contrast, Crystal Palace suffered a 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in their previous match.
The Seagulls and the Eagles clashed in a bird-themed battle at the Amex Stadium last weekend. Brighton dominated the game, taking a 3-0 lead within 34 minutes thanks to goals from Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood, and Facundo Buonanotte. Although Jean-Philippe Mateta’s well-taken header made the game interesting, Joao Pedro’s goal further extended Brighton’s lead, leading to a disappointing afternoon for Roy Hodgson and his team.
Hodgson’s decision to bring on an unfit Michael Olise, who got injured again after just over 10 minutes, was met with criticism. Despite this, Hodgson is expected to remain in charge for the rest of the season due to a lack of other options. The Eagles currently sit in 15th place with a five-point gap to the relegation zone, but their position could become more precarious depending on upcoming results. However, there is some hope for the team as they have recently secured seven points from their last three home games, including wins over Brentford and Sheffield United.
Hodgson and Mauricio Pochettino have both faced pressure during the winter season, with Pochettino’s team suffering heavy defeats before a FA Cup fourth-round replay with Aston Villa. Despite expectations, Pochettino’s team delivered a strong performance to advance to the fifth round. Chelsea remains in contention for the FA Cup and EFL Cup, and their path to Europe is not completely closed, despite their current mid-table position.
Head-to-head
Chelsea has been the stronger team in the history of this competition, entering the match with a streak of 13 consecutive victories over the Eagles. They secured a 2-1 win in the previous game held at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.
Prediction
A strong victory for Chelsea doesn’t always lead to a change in fortunes, but with Palace missing key players Olise, Eze, and Guehi, the Blues should have a relatively easy path to a much-needed win. Palace has already suffered twelve consecutive losses to Chelsea, their longest losing streak against a single team in league history, and it’s likely that an unlucky 13th defeat is on the horizon for Hodgson’s injury-plagued and demoralized team, who have coincidentally not kept a clean sheet in 12 consecutive Premier League matches.
