Are the Blues serious title contenders?
Just two weeks after winning the FIFA Club World Cup (3-0 vs. PSG), the Blues have already played their first preseason game (0-2 vs. Sholing). Their two subsequent friendlies (2-0 vs. Leverkusen and 4-1 vs. AC Milan) gave a better indication of the level of performance we expect to see in our Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace prediction.
According to our Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace prediction, a successful start for the home side is realistic and could raise fans’ hopes for a long season in the title race. The longer Enzo Maresca’s team trains, the more obvious the strengths of this approach become.
The reigning FA Cup winners are the visitors on the first matchday. Crystal Palace surprisingly defeated Manchester City (1-0) in the final and followed up with a Community Shield win over Liverpool (3-2 a.e.t.) before the first matchday. However, there are issues off the pitch that could affect the team.
The Eagles are likely to be denied participation in the Europa League due to the multi-ownership rule, meaning they will probably have to settle for the Conference League. In addition, Oliver Glasner is still waiting for reinforcements for his team.
The Blues usually shine at Stamford Bridge. Last year, Maresca’s team won twelve of 19 games at home and were defeated in only two encounters (5 draws). Home strength is likely to have played a role in the distribution of the Chelsea – Crystal Palace odds, as is the difference in performance levels within the squad. At Winamax, you can get 1.82 times your stake back if you combine a “Chelsea win” with “over 1.5 goals in the game.”
Chelsea – Crystal Palace Head-to-head record / H2H record
Both matches last season ended in a draw (1-1). However, the Blues have developed significantly since their last meeting with the Eagles (matchday 20). The team now has a better understanding of Enzo Maresca’s tactics. They won five of their last six matches in the English top flight, and their triumph in the FIFA Club World Cup sparked euphoria among the fans.
The West Londoners are unbeaten at home in their last ten Premier League matches. Only Aston Villa (18) and Liverpool (17) can boast a longer streak in this category. In addition, Maresca’s charges scored the second-highest number of expected goals (69.2 xG) last season and should be even better this time around thanks to new signings in attack.
Chelsea – Crystal Palace Tip
The Blues showed no signs of a dip in form after winning the FIFA Club World Cup in their preseason games. On the contrary, the professionals from Stamford Bridge presented themselves in good shape, moving the ball forward fluidly and purposefully.
Joao Pedro, Estevao, Liam Delap, and Jamie Gittens are high-quality new signings who add enormous potential to the attack with their dribbling skills. The former was already on the pitch during the FIFA Club World Cup and scored five goals with his first seven shots on target.
We can’t rule out a goal against us, especially as Jean-Philippe Mateta has been in great form in pre-season and is looking to build on his strong preseason (18 goals). However, the potential of the Blues’ offense is so great that we definitely don’t want to pass up the Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace betting odds of 1.82 for “Chelsea win & over 1.5 goals.”
