Crystal Palace vs Chelsea Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 English Premier League
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THE FACTS
When is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea on and what time does it start? Crystal Palace vs Chelsea will take place on Monday 12th February, 2024 – 20:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Crystal Palace vs Chelsea? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea on in the UK? Television rights for the Premier League in the UK are shared between Sky Sports, TNT Sports and Amazon Prime so it is worth checking their schedules for Crystal Palace vs Chelsea
Where can I stream Crystal Palace vs Chelsea in the UK? If Crystal Palace vs Chelsea is televised, then it can be streamed on either Sky Go, discovery+ or Amazon Prime Video depending on who is broadcasting the match
THE LOWDOWN
CRYSTAL PALACE
Pressure is growing on Roy Hodgson to the point where the phrase ‘at the time of writing’ must be used to prefix the statement that he is in the dugout for this weekend. It has been a tough couple of months for the former England manager and things could not have gone much worse for him and Palace as they were thrashed 4-1 by rivals Brighton at the AMEX Stadium on Saturday.
They went a goal down inside three minutes of that match with a goal from Lewis Dunk before being three down by half-time, bringing on Michael Olise who was carrying an injury, aggravating that further to he is now sidelined alongside Eberechi Eze. Palace have conceded 40 goals in the league this season with only four teams letting in more than them.
CHELSEA
On Wednesday evening, Chelsea arguably turned in their best performance under Mauricio Pochettino just days after arguably their worst performance of the season. The Blues comfortably defeated Aston Villa by three goals to one in their FA Cup fourth round replay at Villa Park to keep their hopes alive of a domestic double.
Prior to that victory, though, they had slipped int the bottom-half of the Premier League after shipping eight goals in two matches against Liverpool at Anfield and then Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge. Their 4-2 defeat at home to Wolves now means that, quite astonishingly, only six teams have conceded more than them in the league so far this season.
THE TEAM NEWS
CRYSTAL PALACE
In the last couple of weeks, Crystal Palace have suffered a couple of key injuries. Both Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze were instrumental in The Eagles’ 3-2 defeat of Sheffield United but now both are unavailable with the former picking up a ‘serious injury’.
Roy Hodgson is also now without key defender Marc Guehi, who picked up an injury in their 4-1 loss to Brighton at the AMEX Stadium last weekend. They join an injury list that includes the likes of Rob Holding and Cheick Doucoure.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Henderson; Munoz, Andersen, Tomkins, Mitchell; Richards, Lerma, Hughes; Ayew, Mateta, Schlupp
UNAVAILABLE: Guehi (Injured), Holding (Injured), Doucoure (Injured) Eze (Injured), Olise (Injured), Rak-Sakyi (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Ward (Injured)
CHELSEA
Frustratingly for Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that centre-back Benoit Badiashile is a doubt for this weekend with the player and club awaiting the results of some scans from in midweek.
Fellow defender Levi Colwill could return but faces a late fitness test, whilst Trevoh Chalobah has returned to training and he could be back available. The likes of Robert Sanchez and Wesley Fofana remain sidelined by injury.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Gallagher, Sterling; Palmer
UNAVAILABLE: Sanchez (Injured), Fofana (Injured), James (Injured), Cucurella (Injured), Lavia (Injured), Ugochukwu (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Colwill (Injured), Badiashile (Injured), Chalobah (Injured)
THE PREDICTION
Only the bottom two teams in the league, Burnley and Sheffield United, have scored fewer than Crystal Palace so far this season. They are in bad form and are also now missing their two key attacking contributors in Eze and Olise. Chelsea, as mentioned, have one of the worst defensive records in the league but the dropping of Thiago Silva in midweek was a sign that Pochettino is keen on ensuring they do something to tighten up at the back so there will be even more focus on that and they will be expecting a clean sheet on Monday evening.
TIP: CHELSEA TO WIN TO NIL
