After what has been an interrupted fixtures list for the Eagles over the last few weeks, it is a return to Premier League duty with a trip to leaders Chelsea.
It is a tough start to what is a busy month of April for Palace who face seven games in just 29 days. However, spirits will be high as they travel to Stamford Bridge off the back of three wins and three clean sheets in succession.
The hosts have been on a better run of form, as you would expect for league leaders. They last tasted defeat at the beginning of January, losing to Tottenham Hotspur. Since then it has been full speed ahead including victories over Arsenal and Manchester United.
Many will see this fixture as a formality for the Blues but a rejuvinated Palace side will have other ideas at a ground where they sprung a big surprise in August 2015.
TEAM NEWS (courtesy of Physio Room)
CRYSTAL PALACE – James McArthur (knock), Patrick van Aanholt (ankle), Loic Remy (muscular) and Mathieu Flamini (muscular) are all slight doubts while Connor Wickham (knee), Steve Mandanda (knee), Jonathan Benteke (knee) and Pape Souare (leg) continue to miss out.
CHELSEA – Diego Costa (ankle), Eden Hazard (calf), Thibaut Courtois (hip), Victor Moses (calf) and John Terry (knock) are all doubts.
ACTION REPLAY
The last meeting between the two sides took place at Selhurst Park in December. It took just the one goal for Chelsea to take all three points which was scored right before the break by Diego Costa. They could have doubled their lead through Marcos Alonso but his free kick came back off the post.
Who Scored man of the match – Cesar Azpilicueta
FORM GUIDE
Last FIVE meetings between the two sides;
- 17/12/2016: Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea
- 03/01/2016: Crystal Palace 0-3 Chelsea
- 29/08/2015: Chelsea 1-2 Crystal Palace
- 03/05/2015: Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace
- 18/10/2014: Crystal Palace 1-2 Chelsea
Last FIVE results for Palace;
- 18/03/2017: Crystal Palace 1-0 Watford
- 04/03/2017: West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Crystal Palace
- 25/02/2017: Crystal Palace 1-0 Middlesbrough
- 11/02/2017: Stoke City 1-0 Crystal Palace
- 04/02/2017: Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland
Last FIVE results for Chelsea;
- 18/03/2017: Stoke City 1-2 Chelsea
- 13/03/2017: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
- 06/03/2017: West Ham United 1-2 Chelsea
- 25/02/2017: Chelsea 3-1 Swansea City
- 18/02/2017: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Chelsea
FORM PLAYERS (courtesy of Who Scored)
Top two rated players from each team so far this season;
- Eden Hazard 7.89
- Diego Costa 7.57
- Wilfried Zaha 7.44
- Christian Benteke 7.26
ONE TO WATCH
MARCOS ALONSO
Former clubs – Real Madrid, Bolton Wanderers, Fiorentina, Sunderland (loan)
Born in Madrid, Alonso began his career in the youth set up at Real in 1999 and made his professional debut for the ‘B’ team in 2008. The 26 year old only made one appearance for the first team before deciding to move to Bolton Wanderers in 2010. A move to Italy followed in 2013 as Alonso signed a three year deal with Fiorentina even though then Bolton boss Dougie Freedman had offered the Spaniard a new deal. While at Fiorentina the defender spent some time on loan at Sunderland before returning to Italy to make a number of appearances before Chelsea came calling. It cost the Blues though as they had to part with £24million to get their man who signed a five year deal. Alonso has two international caps at under 19 level.
PREDICTION
Final league position – 1st
With Chelsea leading the way at the top of the table by ten points from second placed Tottenham Hotspur, there is little doubt what the outcome will be. A second title in three years beckons for the Blues in a season that has seen the club revitalised by the arrival of the exciting and infectious Italian Antonio Conte. He has turned a squad that was out of sorts last season defending their title into champions elect this term and FA Cup contenders.
- TEB prediction – draw
- Danny Moir’s prediction (see link below) – home win
- Who Scored prediction – home win
BETTING ODDS (courtesy of Paddy Power)
- Home – 2/7
- Draw – 9/2
- Away – 9/1
- Both teams to score – 5/4
FIND OUT WHAT BLUES FAN DANNY MOIR TOLD TEB THIS WEEK IN THE CHELSEA VIEW
