January 4. 5:00 p.m. London. Selhurst Park Stadium
English Premier League. 20th day
Crystal Palace (Londres) – Chelsea (Londres)
Absent: None
Injured: Matheus Franca, Rob Golding, Adam Wharton – Romeo Lavia, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (tous incertains), Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea : Cotes des bookmakers
In early September, Crystal Palace ended their 14-match winless run against Chelsea with a 1-1 draw, thanks to a decisive goal from Eberechi Eze at Stamford Bridge. That marked Eze’s first goal of the season, but he has since ended a goalless spell, having found the back of the net just before the second clash with Chelsea. The attacking midfielder, who has regularly scored more than ten goals in the last two seasons, is Palace’s key hope of securing their first win against Chelsea since October 2017.
Crystal Palace
Eberechi Eze ended 2024 in style by scoring a superb goal against Southampton. This victory (2-1) was crucial for Crystal Palace, as it helped them move away from the relegation zone, marking Eze’s sixth goal from outside the box. In this category, he was beaten only by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer last year.
Oliver Glasner is optimistic that Eze’s goal against the Saints will instill confidence and help him shake off the weight of previous disappointments, returning to his best. Previously, Glasner revitalized Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr. With Eze fully fit, this attacking trio could represent a significant asset for the Eagles in the second half of the season, potentially propelling them towards a similar comeback to that seen at the end of the previous season.
-Chelsea
Chelsea struggled at the end of the year. The Blues, under the leadership of Enzo Maresca, have lost two consecutive games for the first time, accumulating just one point from their last three meetings.
Although it is premature to cry crisis, the atmosphere surrounding the team has changed dramatically. Chelsea were once in contention to rival Liverpool and even had a chance to go top of the league. Despite Maresca’s denials, the Blues were considered title contenders in Great Britain. However, after a string of disappointing results, talk of league glory has faded, with a ten-point gap to Liverpool. Meanwhile, the distance to Newcastle (three points) and Manchester City (four points) raises doubts about Chelsea’s return to the Champions League.
Additionally, for the first time since his appointment, Enzo Maresca faced criticism from supporters. He was accused of lacking a so-called “Plan B” and certain decisions regarding players. Comparisons with his predecessor have emerged: in 19 games under the current coach, Chelsea have collected fewer points (35) than in the last 19 games under Mauricio Pochettino (38). It is therefore crucial for the Italian to prove that he can overcome these challenges and bring Chelsea back to winning ways.
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Predicted team line-ups
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Author’s Prediction
Among all clashes that featured at least ten matches, the Crystal Palace-Chelsea clash has historically recorded the highest away winning percentage in Premier League history. The Blues have won 12 of their 15 meetings at Selhurst Park (80%). However, I expect Chelsea’s success rate at Crystal Palace to drop this Saturday. The Eagles are in good form, having lost just two of their last eleven Premier League games. The 0-2 defeat to Fulham seemed entirely undeserved, with Oliver Glasner’s side missing four clear-cut chances, while the 1-5 defeat to Arsenal saw Crystal Palace miss several key players in defence. Nonetheless, I consider the best bet for this match to be “both teams to score”. My prediction is that both teams will find the net.
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