Premier League football is back underway at Stamford Bridge on Sunday when Crystal Palace travel across London to face Chelsea.
The Blues are obviously favourites on paper, with Enzo Maresca able to boast a bona fide superstar in Cole Palmer, while Chelsea also enter this game as FIFA Club World Cup champions.
However, Crystal Palace are superb when it comes to toppling the bigger clubs – their last two competitive outings have been wins over Manchester City and Liverpool in the FA Cup final and FA Community Shield respectively.
Therefore, it is a tough game to predict, but Paul Merson has given it a go.
Paul Merson predicts 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Crystal Palace
The 57-year-old has opted to sit on the fence.
Merson told Sportskeeda: “Oliver Glasner is an outstanding character and I believe he has done a phenomenal job at Palace, but I think they have not recruited well enough to reproduce the magic from last season.
“Palace were incredible when they came from (behind) to win the Community Shield against Liverpool on penalties. I think this is a hard game for Chelsea and purely as a fan, I’m wishing they win 2-1. In reality, this could be a draw, but I genuinely hope I’m wrong. 1-1.”
Merson – who thinks Arsenal should have signed Eberechi Eze over Noni Madueke – also shared why he feels Chelsea are not in a position to challenge for the Premier League title this season.
The man born in Harlesden said: “I don’t see Chelsea as title contenders this season… The injury to Levi Colwill is a massive blow for Chelsea. He is expected to miss the majority of the season, and I worry about the goalkeeper and the other two centre-halves in his absence. Robert Sanchez is a good shot-stopper, but he always has a mistake in him and he makes people around him nervous.
“Chelsea are still a very young team and I expect them to make mistakes… You have to learn to walk before you can run, and that is why I think Chelsea will not challenge Liverpool and Arsenal.”
There is a reason Paul Merson has a 1-1 draw in mind
Both meetings between Chelsea and Crystal Palace last season ended as a 1-1 draw.
Nicolas Jackson, who is set to leave Chelsea, and Eze were on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge, before Palmer and Jean-Philippe Mateta netted at Selhurst Park.
You would have to go back to October 2017 to find the last time Crystal Palace managed to beat Chelsea, with that result coming under Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.
Therefore, Chelsea have every right to be confident coming into Sunday’s London derby – even more so after winning the FIFA Club World Cup by defeating PSG.