Crystal Palace have a poor record against Chelsea but Paul Higham has reason to believe they can pinch a point off them on Saturday…
Eagles need to pick up points
Crystal Palace have certainly improved under Patrick Vieira but while performances on the whole have been decent, recent results haven’t.
Just two wins in 13 Premier League games has seen Palace fail to build on that shock win at Man City and following win over Wolves, and they’ll be just casting one eye below them with just a nine-point cushion outside the relegation zone.
While they should be fine, Vieira will not want what looked a promising season to fizzle out late on and Chelsea represent dangerous opponents if their confidence isn’t at its best.
The Eagles have conceded three in both of their last two home games and Vieira admits that they’re struggling to find a plan in their play. They’ll need one against Chelsea.
Blues back as Club World Cup winners
Fresh from their trip to Abu Dhabi, Thomas Tuchel’s side return as Club World Cup winners and will want to hit the ground running again back on domestic duty.
Tuchel’s side look a bit stuck in third, with no real title chances but no real challenge from below for a top four spot, so motivation will be interesting.
Winning just one of their last five away games in the league is something that needs work, but having won the last eight against Palace makes this look like the perfect opportunity to improve that run.
The Blues have won 19 of their 25 Premier League meetings with Palace, which represents the best win rate any side has against another in league history (with a minimum of 20 games).
Blues big favourites but a bit short
As you’d expect for a team with such a dominant record over another, Chelsea are big 1.75/7 favourites, with Palace big outsiders at 6.05/1.
The travel back from Abu Dhabi could give the Eagles a chance though, and although they’ve not won they’ve been hard to beat of late with three draws in four.
Vieira also needs to build on something so 4.03/1 on the draw may offer us a value bet here given the circumstances. We’re also due a draw in this one with no stalemate in the last 21.
Only Brighton have more draws this season than Palace’s 11.
Palace have done well against the better sides this season, beating Man City and Spurs, and their counter attacking could profit against a Chelsea side with just two clean sheets in 14.
Both teams to score is worth a look at 2.01/1 and the score draw has our attention priced up at 5.69/2.
Can Palace pinch one on the break?
Picking Tuchel’s team after the trip away will be tricky as he’s got so many options, but Christian Pulisic has a liking for playing the Eagles having scored five in five against them – including three in two trips to Selhurst Park.
Hakim Ziyech has also found his scoring form of late with goals in his last two Premier League games, and can be backed at 3.7511/4 to make it three in three.
Pulisic is 3.02/1 to add to his tally against his favourite opposition.
And for Palace, Wilfried Zaha will again be the main danger along with Odsonne Edouard, but Michael Olisse has been productive of late with three goals and four assists in his last seven.
Olisse is priced at 6.511/2 to score and the same for an assist and on his current form he’s likely to be involved in anything Palace create going forward.
Source: BetFair Tips
