Crystal Palace - Match Preview

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The Match

Chelsea go head-to-head against Crystal Palace on Saturday at Stamford Bridge – game to kick off at 3pm UK time - in their first of two successive Premier League London derbies with Arsenal to come next week. This will be the 9th Premier League meeting between the two sides and the first since 2004/05 season and the side from West London have the upper hand coming into this game with 6 wins in the previous 8 fixtures without a defeat.

After suffering a shock 3-2 defeat to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium last weekend, the Blues will be desperate to get back to winning ways when they face against the side second from bottom in the Premier League and they are certainly in a right track to do so after beating Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League on Wednesday, even if the performance was unconvincing.

Despite having qualified for the Last 16 of the Champions League, sitting third in the Premier League – five points behind league leaders Arsenal – and in the quarter finals of the Capital One Cup, Chelsea’s performances this season have not been consistent. As pointed out in the Steaua match preview, the past month and a half have been topsy-turvy for Jose Mourinho’s side and Chelsea fans alike as they watched the team performed well in one game before putting in a lacklustre performance and the results have certainly reflected that – LWDWLWWLW.

Much of the spotlight in the past week has been on the goals conceded particularly after shipping in 6 against relegation strugglers Sunderland and Stoke. The 1-0 win recorded against Steaua was Chelsea’s first clean sheet in five matches and only their third in last nine matches in all competitions. Many were also keen to point out that the Blues conceded 7 goals from 7 shots on target in their last three Premier League and while no doubt the defence have to tighten especially with four of those conceded came from set pieces, there is not enough positive focus on Mourinho’s team that only 7 shots on target were actually allowed in those three games.

Equally in the spotlight, if not more, have been the well documented problems of the lack of goals scored by strikers Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o with only 4 goals netted in 26 Premier League appearances combined between them this season. Mourinho, however, was quick to defend them in his press conference earlier today in praising their other qualities though one suspects the Portuguese would definitely want a new striker or two soon. For now, the trio must repay the trust and faith shown by the manager and helped the team to achieve the objectives this season.

With rivals Manchester City and Tottenham facing Arsenal and Liverpool respectively this weekend and a showdown against Arsenal at the Emirates next week, acquiring the 3 points here is a must and if the Blues are able to put in a convincing performance, it would help boost the confidence further in the challenge for the league title.

About the Opposition

Crystal Palace head into this game rejuvenated under new manager Tony Pulis having picked up 10 points – fourth in the form table - in their last 6 Premier League matches including 3 wins – against Hull, Cardiff and West Ham - compared to just 1 in the previous that saw Ian Holloway resigned from the job.

The wins gained in the run have took the Eagles up one spot to 19th with 13 points – levelled with West Ham in 17th - and only a poorer goal difference are placing them in the relegation zone. Moreover, Pulis’s side have also kept 4 clean sheets in their last 5 Premier League games including a goalless draw against Everton prior to the appointment of the Welshman.

Crystal Palace will no doubt be in confident mood for this game and are likely to setup defensively – a common approach of Tony Pulis away from home – looking for the point that will boost their Premier League survival cause. The Blues must be patient in breaking the Eagles without making it too comfortable for them to defend against and must also avoid conceding more soft goals as Pulis is likely to target goals from set pieces given the host recent troubles at defending them.

Past 5 Premier League Meetings (P5 W4 D1 F15 A3 CS3)

19th March 2005 – Chelsea 4-1 Crystal Palace

24th August 2004 – Crystal Palace 0-2 Chelsea

11th March 1998 – Chelsea 6-2 Crystal Palace

13th September 1997 – Crystal Palace 0-3 Chelsea

5th March 1995 – Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace

Team News

Chelsea

Jose Mourinho is likely to rotate the starting XI once again having made seven changes to the lineup against Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday. Gary Cahill, despite not being injured, will be rested tomorrow as Mourinho do not want to take any risks with the defender having a pain in his quadriceps.

Cesar Azpilicueta will once again feature at left back as he will replace Ashley Cole with the manager claiming the latter will play against Sunderland in midweek in the Capital One Cup. Other news include Ryan Bertrand has been injured for two weeks and will still be out for another week at least. The squad for tomorrow can be seen below:

Provisional squad: Cech, Schwarzer, Blackman, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Terry, Azpilicueta, Mikel, Ramires, Lampard, Essien, Mata, Oscar, Willian, Schurrle, De Bruyne, Hazard, Ba, Torres and Eto'o.

Crystal Palace

Defender Dean Moxey is rated doubtful for this game with a hamstring injury having been substituted in the first half against Cardiff last weekend with a grade one tear. Winger Yannick Bolasie will be available again for the Eagles following a suspension while Jack Hunt, Glenn Murray, Jerome Thomas and Adlene Guedioura will miss the game at Stamford Bridge. The squad for tomorrow can be seen below:

Provisional squad: Speroni, Price, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Mariappa, Moxey, Puncheon, Kebe, Jedinak, Dikgacoi, Bannan, O'Keefe, Williams, Gayle, Chamakh, Jerome, Phillips, Bolasie.

Stats and Facts

1. Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 11 league matches against Crystal Palace (dating back to the old English Division One) - W8 D3. Their last defeat to the Eagles came in August 1990, going down 2-1.

2. Chelsea are undefeated in their last 7 Premier League London derbies - W5 D2.

3. Chelsea are undefeated in their last 16 Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge - W13 D3. All the 3 draws have been 2-2.

4. Chelsea have scored at least 2 goals in their last 12 home matches in the Premier League.

5. Chelsea have gained more ponts from losing positions than any other team in Premier League this season - 11. (via Sky Sports)

6. There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 8 of Chelsea's last 9 games in the Premier League. (via Whoscored)

7. Chelsea have kept the same amount of clean sheets in the Premier League as Crystal Palace after 15 games - 4.

8. Crystal Palace have won 1 and lost 3 of their 4 Premier League London derbies this season. Their only win came in the 1-0 success over West Ham in Tony Pulis's first home game in charge of the Eagles.

9. Crystal Palace have averaged just 0.93 points per game in Premier League London derbies, only Fulham (0.91) have a lower return of clubs from the capital. (via Sky Sports)

10. Eden Hazard is Chelsea's top goalscorer and provider in the Premier League after 15 games - 6 goals and 3 assists.

11. Marouane Chamakh has scored in back-to-back Premier League appearances for the first time since November 2010. He has never scored in 3 successive appearances. (via Sky Sports)

12. Marouane Chamakh has scored 3 Premier League goals this season. Demba Ba, Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto'o combined has scored only 4.

13. Mile Jedinak has made more interceptions than any other Premier League player this season - 50. (via Sky Sports)

14. Branislav Ivanovic is one yellow card away from serving a one game domestic suspension.

Match Odds (Final Result/Full Time)

Chelsea WIN - 1/6

DRAW - 6/1

Crystal Palace WIN - 14/1

*Odds obtained from SkyBet*

TV

Depending on where you are from, you can watch the match in the following channels:

United Kingdom: BBC One

United States: NBC Sports Network, NBC Sports Live Extra

Middle East: Al Jazeera Sports

Belgium: Sporting 2

India: Star Sports 4 India, Star Sports HD 2 India

For additional regions, you can check out the TV schedule for the match here.

There should be many match streams that can be found online if your local sports channels are not broadcasting the game or if you happen to be busy and cannot catch the game live, follow TalkChelsea on Twitter as it would provide live match commentary on the action.

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*bump*

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It's over lads. Good luck doesn't hit us twice.