Game Week 23 Predictions: Chelsea to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst

Premier League preview: Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – Rosenior's Blues chase top-4, Palace sans Guehi (to City) fight drop; verdict Chelsea to win.

Crystal Palace needs to halt the rot, can they earn anything against Chelsea? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Crystal Palace vs Chelsea

Selhurst Park

3:00pm

Chelsea’s new regime meets Crystal Palace’s expiring regime; this is one game that could define a lot for both clubs as they fight for different reasons.

Chelsea isn’t in the title race anymore. Liam Rosenior thinks it’s not out of order to dream of the title this season despite being sixteen points off the top with sixteen games to play for; however, finishing in Champions League places is not negotiable for the Blues.

Crystal Palace has lost their most important player. Marc Guehi has joined Manchester City with the club languishing in 15th, just eight points off the drop zone. The ask for Palace is straightforward: beat the drop and win a title. Oliver Glasner believes it’s possible.

Chelsea is the clear favourite to win this one, as they play a team that hasn’t won any games this year. The Eagles crashed out of the FA Cup in the first round against a non-league side, and things haven’t been the same with them since the turn of the year, with manager Oliver Glasner under the microscope.

Chelsea laboured to a 1-0 win over lowly rated Pafos in the Champions League; while their performance could have been better, the win earned them a huge advantage which would see them avoid a two-legged playoff to advance to the round of 16.

Chelsea will negotiate with Napoli in midweek for a spot in the top 8, making Rosenior’s selection for this game a little tricky. You can only beat what is in front of you; without Guehi, Palace isn’t the same. Can Chelsea take advantage and better their lot in the league?

Jean-Philippe Mateta is expected to lead the line despite asking to leave in this window. Brennan Johnson and Yeremy Pino are expected to play off the Frenchman, while Ismaila Sarr is expected to have some role to play as Palace dare the Blues.

The Eagles are without Cheick Doucoure, Eddie Nketiah and Daichi Kamada, but all eyes will be on Jefferson Lerma, who is expected to fill in for Guehi while the club combs Europe for a replacement for their departed captain.

Cole Palmer is available for Chelsea. While his minutes are being managed, Chelsea needs their playmaker available and firing. Moises Caicedo got the job done in midweek; he will seek to do the same again when they visit Selhurst on Sunday. This could be tricky, but it’s Chelsea’s to lose.

Verdict: Chelsea to win.