Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Blues Seek Redemption in Premier League
Monday night will see an exciting clash between London rivals Crystal Palace and Chelsea in the Premier League. The Blues are looking to redeem themselves after back-to-back heavy defeats, while Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson faces increasing pressure following his team’s 4-1 loss to bitter rivals Brighton.
Chelsea’s recent form has been disappointing, with consecutive defeats pushing them down to 11th place in the Premier League table. However, they showed signs of improvement in their midweek FA Cup replay against Aston Villa, securing a 3-1 victory. Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping his side can carry this momentum into the league and turn their fortunes around.
On the other hand, Crystal Palace suffered a demoralizing defeat to Brighton in their last outing. This has led to speculation about Hodgson’s position as manager. The Eagles will be without star player Michael Olise, who sustained a “serious” hamstring injury during the Brighton match. Additionally, Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze will also be unavailable for Monday’s game, along with long-term absentees Rob Holding, Cheick Doucoure, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
The match will take place at Selhurst Park on Monday, February 12th, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm GMT. Fans can catch the action live on Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League or stream it via the NOW app. Alternatively, SunSport’s live blog will provide updates throughout the game.
In terms of team news for Chelsea, Benoit Badiashile is a doubt after being forced off during their FA Cup match against Aston Villa. However, Levi Colwill could make a return to the squad after missing the last four matches due to a tendon injury. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has partially returned to training and might feature on the bench. Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Marc Cucurella, and Wesley Fofana remain sidelined with long-term injuries.
As for the odds, Ladbrokes currently offers the following for the match result: Crystal Palace – 18/5, Draw – 27/10, and Chelsea – 3/4.
Both teams will be eager to secure a victory in this important Premier League encounter. Chelsea will be looking to bounce back and climb up the table, while Crystal Palace will aim to alleviate the pressure on their manager by putting up a strong performance. With key players missing from both sides, it remains to be seen who will come out on top. Football fans won’t want to miss this exciting London derby.