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These are tough times for Crystal Palace.
Their defence of the FA Cup ended in humiliating fashion with defeat at non-league Macclesfield, manager Oliver Glasner is leaving at the end of the season and skipper Marc Guehi has just departed for Manchester City.
Add in the loss of Eberechi Eze in the summer and the Eagles are in freefall.
While looking safe in 13th place, they haven’t managed a win in the last 10 matches in all competitions.
Chelsea aren’t exactly purring under Liam Rosenoir but a helpful fixture list has allowed the new boss to win three of his first four games in charge.
The Blues scored a 2-0 home success over Brentford in Rosenoir’s first Premier League game in charge despite being outplayed in parts while either side they’ve beaten Charlton in the FA Cup and Pafos 1-0 at home in the Champions League.
How to watch Crystal Palace v Chelsea
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea kicks off at 14:00 (UK) on Sunday, January 25 at Selhurst Park.
The game will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting from 1pm.
BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra will provide full match commentary.
Crystal Palace team news
Palace will be boosted by the returns of both Ismaila Sarr and Daniel Munoz.
Midfielder Sarr returns from Afcon where he helped Senegal lift the trophy in a dramatic final while wing-back Munoz is fit again after injury.
Jean Philippe-Mateta has been the subject of transfer rumours but Glasner stated that the French striker will play on Sunday.
The Palace boss also announced in Friday’s press conference that goalkeeper Dean Henderson will take over as skipper from the departed Guehi for the rest of the season.
Crystal Palace expected line-up
(3-4-2-1) Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Lerma; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Johnson, Pino; Mateta.
Chelsea team news
Cole Palmer should return to the Chelsea starting XI after missing the Pafos game due to some tightness in his thigh.
The Blues have had to deal with a virus in the camp in the last couple of weeks but Enzo Fernandez, Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian have all fully shaken that off now and are available.
Reserve goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen won’t be on the bench though having picked up a knock in the victory over Pafos.
Chelsea expected line-up
(4-2-3-1) Sanchez; James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Estevao, Palmer, Neto; Joao Pedro.
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea stats
– Crystal Palace are winless in their last 16 Premier League games against Chelsea, drawing the last three after losing 13 in a row.
– Chelsea have only failed to score in one of their 16 Premier League away games against Crystal Palace (W12 D2 L2), doing so in a 1-0 defeat in March 2014.
– Crystal Palace have kept just three clean sheets in their last 34 league games against Chelsea. One of those was in this season’s reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge.
– Only Burnley (13) are on a longer winless run in the Premier League currently than Crystal Palace (7), with the Eagles drawing two and losing five of their last seven games.
– Since Oliver Glasner’s first Premier League match in charge of Crystal Palace, only three teams have dropped more points from winning positions than they have (39).
– Chelsea won their first Premier League match under Liam Rosenior, with Graham Potter the last Blues boss to win his first two back in October 2022.
– Since the start of the 2022-23 season, only Arsenal (97) have won more points in Premier League London derbies than Chelsea (73), while only West Ham (38) have picked up fewer than Crystal Palace (45) in that time.
– Six of Crystal Palace’s last seven Premier League goals at Selhurst Park have been scored by Jean-Phillipe Mateta, and the other was a Nathan Collins own goal.
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea predictions
With just two points from their last seven games and talismanic skipper Marc Guehi leaving, Palace are under the cosh.
But the mood in the camp has at least lifted in the last few days with Glasner revealing that he’d had clear-the-air talks with Steve Parish after accusing the chairman of abandoning him over the Guehi sell.
That reset could work in Palace’s favour here after some tough weeks and there’s a feeling that Chelsea are rather getting away it so far under Rosenoir.
Historically, the Eagles have struggled in this fixture but the last three encounters have all been draws, including a 0-0 earlier this season, and that’s the value at 14/5.
It appeals more than Chelsea at Even money.
Mateta could be the man to help the hosts bag a point and he’s worth a bet at 9/5 to score anytime after being given the nod by Glasner.