Crystal Palace and Chelsea clash in a London derby during the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, here is a preview.
High-flying Chelsea travel to relegation-threatened Crystal Palace as both teams are scraping for points for different reasons.
The reverse fixture ended 1-1 with Eberechi Eze’s curler cancelled out by Nicolas Jackson, although the Blues remain undefeated in their last 14 games against Palace in all competitions.
Palace have surprisingly found themselves in a relegation dogfight, a huge contrast from the positive impact Glasner made when he was appointed in February.
The Austrian had a transformative effect on the Eagles since taking over mid-way through last season, their 5–0 win over Aston Villa on the final game of the campaign proved the joint biggest Premier League win in Palace’s history. That victory ended 2023/24 with six wins from their last seven games, equalling their best-ever Premier League points tally of 49 and a top ten finish for just the second time.
However, the Glaziers have struggled so far this season having gone into the November international break on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Fulham.
They had previously put together a three-game unbeaten run with their first league win of the season against Tottenham Hotspur, followed by a defeat of Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup Last 16, then a point away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Palace were pegged back by Aston Villa in their most recent game and have now registered just eight points from 12 matches this season. They are stuck in the drop zone which has inevitably led to Glasner’s position being called into question.
However, he is set to remain in situ for now despite the team sitting 19th on the log, as injuries have hampered them while the draw against Villa showed commitment to the manager. There is a belief among the fan base that this squad and manager will come through this difficult period.
A positive result at home to Chelsea would do wonders for their belief which could be key during the festive period. They will have to dig deep for a win against Chelsea that hasn’t come since 2017.
The Blues have been impressive so far this term, as Mauricio Pochettino was relieved of his duties despite leading the team to five straight wins at the end of last season.
Pochettino was replaced by Enzo Maresca who is proving to be a shrewd appointment having improved many of the team’s metrics, players and points tally from last season.
There was a humbling defeat to Manchester City on the opening day of the league campaign, but they immediately bounced back by going unbeaten for the next six league games.
That run was ended by a narrow loss to Liverpool, but there are already enough signs that this is a much better team than last season’s. There was a 2-1 home victory over Newcastle that was followed by successive 1-1 draws against Manchester United and Arsenal.
While those latter draws showed they would compete in the top four, they are still some way off beating the very best teams in the league.
Yet, they have had a perfect start to life in the Europa Conference League with a 100% record matched by 18 goals scored from four matches, by far the highest tally in the competition.
Chelsea must continue to challenge in all competitions and Maresca will be pleased with his side’s progress so far, despite getting knocked out by Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. There is a feeling of renewed optimism among the blues faithful and a growing sense that they are finally close to competing for silverware two years into their new ownership.
During the quick turnaround of games throughout the festive season, they will be keen to secure a victory that solidifies their Premier League ambitions. Maresca’s men currently find themselves third on the table, with Manchester City and Arsenal’s recent struggles leaving them nine points behind the top spot.
Returning to the Champions League is the main target for this season and they are well capable of doing so considering their form and the quality within their ranks.
The West Londoners will be expected to dispatch Palace in a professional display.
Match tickets
This Premier League matchday 20 fixture takes place on Saturday, 4 January 2025 with kick-off scheduled for 3 PM UK time. This promises to be a memorable occasion, with match tickets now available for sale on the website of each individual club and priority access given to club members and season ticket holders.
Selhurst Park is the place to be for the first top-flight game of 2025 and just over 25,000 seats should be sold out. Crystal Palace fans will be desperate to make it a lively atmosphere for their players but the Chelsea faithful have had a lot to cheer about on their travels.
Non-season ticket holders who want to attend this game can find Crystal Palace vs Chelsea tickets on a resale site, while they can also find Chelsea tickets for the whole of this season.
Team news
Palace have been plagued by injuries so far this term, with Adam Wharton on the sidelines due to injury, but Eberechi Eze, Jefferson Lerma and Chadi Riad are all close to returning. Trevoh Chalobah is ineligible to play against his parent club.
The Chelsea boss only has captain Reece James laid off with injury and he will hope to be able to choose from the full complement of his squad during this busy run of fixtures. The Pensioners do have a well-assembled squad and they may just be able to navigate this key period with some good results in the bag.
Line-ups
Glasner has a tough job on his hands to steer his side out of relegation but a good performance in this game may go a long way to restoring their belief. However, the hectic festive schedule and current injuries may make it very difficult to rotate effectively.
Crystal Palace: Turner; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Doucoure, Hughes, Mitchell; Kamada, Sarr; Mateta
Maresca has alternated between two different teams for league and cup matches which will help him to keep some key players fresh despite midweek fixtures.
Therefore, all their top guns are likely to start this crucial derby match.
Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
Prediction
Chelsea are the clear favourites to win and it is easy to see why considering their league position and current form. Palace must dig into their heels for this one and hope to capitalize on any Chelsea lapses.
Nevertheless, a dominant away victory awaits.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea