Crystal Palace v Chelsea predictions: Blues can edge close contest at Palace

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Crystal Palace v Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

When to bet

3pm Saturday

Best bet

Chelsea to win 2-1
1pt 17-2 bet365

Team news

Crystal Palace
Conor Gallagher is ineligible to face his parent club and Nathan Ferguson is injured.

Chelsea
England trio Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Mason Mount are sidelined and Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a doubt.

Match preview

Chelsea have won their last eight Premier League games against Crystal Palace but the newly-crowned Club World Cup champions may have to work hard to extend that run at Selhurst Park.

The Blues beat Tottenham 2-0 in their last game before heading to Abu Dhabi as European champions but that was only their second league win in eight outings and they have not had back-to-back victories in the top flight since the end of October.

While Thomas Tuchel's men are expected to put that right against Palace, they are no bankers and backing a 2-1 Chelsea win looks better value.

Palace drew their last two games at struggling Brentford and Norwich and will be missing the creative influence of Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher.

However, the Eagles have scored in all but one of their 12 home league matches and gave Liverpool a real scare in last month's 3-1 defeat at Selhurst Park.

Key stat

Chelsea have won on nine of their last 11 league visits to Selhurst Park.

Inside info

Crystal Palace

Penalty taker Wilfried Zaha
Free-kick wizardMichael Olise
Set-piece aerial threatCheikhou Kouyate
Card magnetJoel Ward

Chelsea

Penalty taker Jorginho
Free-kick wizard Marcos Alonso
Set-piece aerial threat Antonio Rudiger
Card magnet Marcos Alonso

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