Chelsea v Crystal Palace predictions: Eagles should be no pushovers for Blues

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday.

Where to watch

ITV, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Crystal Palace or draw double chance
2pts 7-5 Hills

Team news

Chelsea
Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley could return to the squad after missing the trip to Real Madrid. Ben Chilwell and Callum Hudson-Odoi are sidelined.

Crystal Palace
Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher is ineligible and Nathan Ferguson is injured. Michael Olise, Tyrick Mitchell and Will Hughes will be assessed.

Match preview

Chelsea's reign as European champions ended with a dramatic extra-time defeat to Real Madrid on Tuesday and the Blues are no certainties to bounce back in their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.

Having lost the home leg of their Champions League quarter-final 3-1, Chelsea's trip to Madrid was something of a free hit and they produced a terrific performance to go 3-0 up on the night, taking a 4-3 aggregate lead.

Real hit back, however, and Karim Benzema's extra-time goal ensured that an evening which had started so promisingly for Thomas Tuchel's men ended in disappointment.

Tuchel must now rouse his players for their Wembley clash and opponents Palace are worth backing to avoid defeat in 90 minutes against favourites who may take time to recover physically and emotionally from their exertions at the Bernabeu.

Eagles boss Patrick Vieira's last act as an Arsenal player was to convert the winning penalty in the 2005 FA Cup final against Manchester United and he has made a good impression in his first season as a Premier League manager.

Vieira's first game as Palace manager was a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but February's reverse fixture at Selhurst Park demonstrated the progress made by the south London club.

Tuchel's men needed an 89th-minute goal from Hakim Ziyech to pinch a 1-0 win after a closely-fought contest in which Palace had seven attempts at goal to the visitors' nine.

The Chelsea boss admitted after the 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park that fatigue was a factor for his side, playing their first league fixture since winning the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, and similar circumstances could benefit Palace in Sunday's Wembley semi-final.

The Eagles will once again be missing Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher, one of their star performers this season, but they know they can compete against the top teams in the Premier League, having taken four points off champions Manchester City.

They lost 2-1 at Leicester last weekend but their previous five league results included a 3-0 win over in-form Arsenal, a goalless draw with City, and impressive away victories at Wolves and Watford.

After seeing off Millwall, Hartlepool and Stoke in their first three FA Cup ties, Palace routed Premier League Everton 4-0 in the quarter-finals and have enough quality at both ends of the pitch to unsettle the favourites.

Chelsea romped to a 6-0 win at Southampton last weekend but that followed an error-strewn first leg against Real in the Champions League and a shock 4-1 home defeat to Brentford.

Romelu Lukaku could return after missing the trip to Madrid and is favourite to score first, although it is worth noting that the misfiring Belgium striker had just seven touches of the ball despite playing the whole of February's league clash with Palace.

Key stat

Crystal Palace have kept four clean sheets in their last five matches.

Inside info

Chelsea

Penalty taker Jorginho
Free-kick wizardMason Mount
Set-piece aerial threatAntonio Rudiger
Card magnetMarcos Alonso

Crystal Palace

Penalty taker Wilfried Zaha
Free-kick wizard Luka Milivojevic
Set-piece aerial threat Marc Guehi
Card magnet Joel Ward

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