Sturdy Palace can ground Sarri's Chelsea at Selhurst Park

Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event 12pm Sunday

Crystal Palace’s latest stalemate with Cardiff made it three successive home clean sheets in the league and they can frustrate Chelsea at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles won back-to-back home games to nil against Burnley and Leicester before slaying giants Man City at the Etihad and they have the defensive resolve to cause problems for Maurizio Sarri’s side.

Results have fluctuated in December for Chelsea, who became the first side to beat on Manchester City but then suffered losses to Wolves and Leicester.

• Premier League standings

Rumours of an Eden Hazard exit linger and there have been questions regarding the club’s reliance on the brilliant Belgian, who has been involved in 19 of their 37 goals this season.

No side in the top six have scored fewer goals than Chelsea this campaign and Sarri’s attacking contingent could struggle to break down an ever-improving Palace rearguard.

Only Tottenham (six) and Liverpool (two) have conceded fewer goals at home than the hosts (eight) in 2018-19.

Such discipline at the back is down to the development of youngster Aaron Wan-Bissaka as well as the consistency of Mamadou Sakho and Patrick van Aanholt, who have both appeared in every Premier League fixture for Palace this season.

Roy Hodgson could have a selection dilemma between the sticks as Wayne Hennessey, who racked up five league clean sheets before sustaining a back injury, is fit to return after Vicente Guaita’s commanding performances in his absence.

Palace have struggled for goals at Selhurst this campaign but three of the five they have netted at home in the league came this month and their front line is steadily improving.

Andros Townsend, Jeffrey Schlupp and James McArthur have eased the goalscoring burden on Wilfried Zaha with goals in recent weeks and, despite failing to notch, Palace had 31 shots in the goalless draw with Cardiff.

Chelsea were caught out by the width and speed of Wolves and Leicester in their December defeats and could struggle to cope with the pace of Hodgson’s versatile 4-5-1 system.

Palace won the corresponding fixture with the Blues in the 2017-18 season and, having already taken points off City, Arsenal and Man United this term, they can earn at least a draw against Sarri’s side.

Recommendation
Crystal Palace-Draw double chance
1pt 6-5 bet365

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Crystal Palace
First-choice goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey returns after three games out with a back injury and Martin Kelly could come in after recovering from a groin strain. Christian Benteke is still out.

Chelsea
Pedro is out after picking up a hamstring injury in midweek and Callum Hudson-Odoi could also be absent after sustaining a knock in the same game.

Key stat
Crystal Palace have seven league clean sheets to their name this season - the highest of any team outside the top four.

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