Chelsea-Crystal Palace is a match valid for the 20th day of the Premier League and is played on Sunday at 3pm: statistics, TV, formations, predictions
The first of the two London derbies scheduled for this intriguing Premier League Sunday sees Chelsea, in great difficulty after the third consecutive defeat suffered this week in the rematch with Fulham (another cross-city match), engaged against Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace.
For the Blues, it is now a never-ending crisis and the pressure on Graham Potter – at least according to reports coming out of England – continues to increase considerably. Since taking over from Thomas Tuchel last September, the former Brighton coach has collected eight wins, four draws and seven defeats in the various competitions in which his team has taken part. A less than thrilling balance for a club that should have been fighting for the title and that instead is in serious danger of not even qualifying for the next Champions League. In fact, the situation is more dramatic than one might think after the 2-1 loss on Thursday in the derby against the Cottagers. Chelsea are now stuck in tenth place, ten points behind fourth-placed Newcastle.
Chelsea is a taboo for the Eagles
The Blues’ last win came on 27 December, when they got the better of lowly Bournemouth 2-0, without even convincing much.
image-Ayew in the first leg
The excuse of absences – which continue to be many, as new signing Joao Felix was also sent off immediately – cannot hold up indefinitely. Mandatory, therefore, is victory against the Eagles, an opponent that Chelsea have always beaten in their last eleven league challenges. To better understand the crisis of Azpilicueta and his companions, it is enough to think that Palace have only three points less. Vieira’s men are doing their only league without infamy or praise but have lost three of their last four matches, curiously all in front of their own public.
The Prediction
Chelsea cannot afford any further missteps and we believe that with Crystal Palace the Blues can get back to winning ways. However, we don’t expect a great performance from Potter’s side, who should prevail in a game of less than three goals total
The Chelsea-Crystal Palace line-up probables
- CHELSEA (3-4-3): Kepa; Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly; Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kovacic, Cucurella; Mount, Havertz, Ziyech.
- CRYSTAL PALACE (4-3-3): Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guéhi, Mitchell; Olise, Doucouré, Schlupp; J. Ayew, Zaha, Eze.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-0
