Venue: Selhurst Park
Date: January 4, 2025
Competition: Premier League
Crystal Palace begin the new year with a daunting task as they host Chelsea, a team that has tormented them in recent years.
Despite some positive recent form, Palace will need to defy history and find a way to overcome their London rivals, who have dominated this fixture in the Premier League era.
Crystal Palace: fighting for stability
Under Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace have shown signs of improvement, losing just two of their last 11 league games (W4, D5).
However, those defeats came in London derbies, highlighting their struggles against local rivals.
Their record against Chelsea is particularly grim, with Palace winless in 15 matches (D1, L14) since their last victory in October 2017.
Palace’s struggles at Selhurst Park are another concern, as they’ve managed just two home wins all season (D4, L4).
Only the promoted sides and Wolves have earned fewer points at home, making this clash an uphill battle.
Ismaïla Sarr has been a bright spot, contributing four league goals this term, though just one has come at home.
Chelsea: searching for redemption
Chelsea ended 2024 on a sour note, failing to win any of their last three fixtures (D1, L2).
A shock 2-0 defeat to Ipswich Town on Monday saw the Blues become the first Premier League side to lose at Portman Road in over 20 years.
Despite dominating possession and firing 20 shots, Enzo Maresca’s men lacked the cutting edge required to break down a resolute Ipswich defense.
Maresca has consistently played down title aspirations, and their recent form justifies his caution. Chelsea have now gone back-to-back away games without scoring, a streak they’ll be desperate to avoid extending to three for the first time since February 2019 under Maurizio Sarri.
With top-four places under threat, the pressure is mounting on Maresca to reignite Chelsea’s form.
Chelsea simply have to end this bad run and start picking up form, that begins tomorrow.
Tactical Insights :
-Crystal Palace: Palace will likely rely on counter-attacking opportunities, using the pace and creativity of players like Ismaïla Sarr and Eberechi Eze to exploit Chelsea’s vulnerabilities.
Their defensive organization will be critical against Chelsea’s possession-heavy style.
– Chelsea: Expect Maresca to demand a more clinical performance from his side, particularly in the final third.
A potential recall for Nicolas Jackson could provide the spark they need, as he has scored seven of his nine league goals this season in the first half, including the opener in September’s reverse fixture.
Players to watch :
– Crystal Palace: Ismaïla Sarr
Three of his four league goals have come before halftime, and his ability to strike early could be vital in unsettling Chelsea’s defense.
Mateta will also be a threat against a weak Chelsea defence.
– Chelsea: Nicolas Jackson
The forward might return to the starting XI after being benched against Ipswich.
With a knack for scoring early, he’ll look to repeat his heroics from the last H2H.
Potential Lineups:
Crystal Palace: 3-4-2-1 – Henderson; Chalobah, LaCroix, Richards; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta.
Chelsea: 3-2-4-1 – Sanchez; Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Neto, Enzo, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Key Stats :
– Chelsea have beaten Palace 24 times in the Premier League, more than any other team.
– Palace have the second-worst home record in the league this season, with only two wins at Selhurst Park.
– Chelsea have failed to score in their last two away league games, a streak last seen in February 2019.
– Palace ended a 14-match H2H losing streak with a 1-1 draw in September but haven’t beaten Chelsea since October 2017.
Where to watch:
United Kingdom: The game will not be shown live in the UK
United States: USA Network or NBC
Canada: Fubo TV
India: Hot Star VIP, JioTV
Australia: Optus Sport.
Nigeria: SuperSports.
Score Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-2 Chelsea
Conclusion :
Chelsea’s recent slump has left them vulnerable, but their dominance in this fixture suggests they’ll find a way to edge out a win.
Palace’s home struggles and Chelsea’s superior quality in attack could be the deciding factors.
