Under-18s: Palace v Chelsea
Palace welcome Chelsea in a key U18 Premier League South clash, with both sides firmly in the mix at the top end of the table as the season enters its decisive phase.
The young Eagles currently sit third on 36 points from 20 games, holding two games in hand on leaders Tottenham Hotspur as they look to close the gap in the final stretch. We come into the fixture off the back of a hard-fought 0–0 draw against rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.
Chelsea, meanwhile, occupy second place on 43 points, four behind Tottenham, also with two games in hand. The young Blues made a strong start to the campaign, going unbeaten in their opening seven matches, but have experienced mixed results in recent weeks.
Notably, Palace claimed an emphatic 4–0 victory over Chelsea earlier in the season in the U18 Premier League Cup group stage, securing top spot in Group D.
Chelsea responded with an eight-game winning run across all competitions through to the end of January, though they have since exited the FA Youth Cup and suffered league defeats to Aston Villa, Fulham, and West Bromwich Albion.
Despite that inconsistency, they showed their resilience last time out, coming from two goals down to beat Reading 3–2 at Cobham with three goals in the final six minutes, including a dramatic late winner.
With both sides chasing a strong finish, this fixture promises to be a competitive encounter between two of the division’s form teams.
Match details
Chelsea Under-18s v Crystal Palace Under-18s