Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has mentioned that their blip is to be anticipated throughout a soccer season forward of their recreation in opposition to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Maresca’s facet have been overwhelmed 2-0 away to Ipswich City of their ultimate match of 2024, that means they arrive into the subsequent recreation with no win of their final three matches.
However regardless of their worrying lack of kind, Maresca was unfazed as he urged his facet to discover a response in opposition to the Eagles at Selhurst Park.
“We anticipated this type of second throughout the season as a result of we all know that this type of second belongs to soccer,” he advised Sky Sports activities.
“It’s virtually not possible to have a season the place you should not have a second like now for us.”
Chelsea are at present fourth within the Premier League and path leaders Liverpool by 10 factors, whereas they lead fifth-placed Newcastle by three.
Maresca went on to clarify that no person anticipated Chelsea to be within the place they’re at present at this stage of the season.
“This implies and reveals that we’re in the best route, as I’ve mentioned many occasions, but in addition reveals that we’re removed from competing and consistency and being there with the perfect groups in England.
“Once more, I believe now we have to be glad with the place we’re, however on the similar time, now we have to know we have to do many issues higher.”
2025 begins right here. pic.twitter.com/uPVq1UNHhR
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 1, 2025
Oliver Glasner, in the meantime, is hoping that Eberechi Eze can kick on after scoring the successful objective in opposition to Southampton final outing, which was simply his second within the league this season.
“I’m more than happy for him.” Glasner mentioned. “Perhaps it’s the circle of soccer. It began with the disallowed objective at Brentford after 10 minutes.
“It was the primary recreation of the season and now it’s the final recreation in 2024 and now he scored this objective. He was actually struggling, it regarded like with this particular second.
“He had many massive probabilities, nice saves by the keepers, lacking by one inch, hitting the submit after which abruptly it was in his head.
“I may see him, he was struggling. I’m actually happy for him that he scored the sport winner right now.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Crystal Palace – Eberechi Eze
Eze scored Palace’s objective of their 1-1 draw in opposition to Chelsea earlier this season, and shall be eying a little bit of historical past at Selhurst Park.
The one Eagles participant to attain house and away league objectives in opposition to the Blues in a single marketing campaign was George Whitworth in 1924-25.
Chelsea – Cole Palmer
Palmer is the third-highest scorer within the Premier League this season with 12 objectives to date. He’s additionally second to Mohamed Salah within the Premier League for whole objective involvements, having laid on six assists within the league.
No participant was concerned in additional Premier League objectives throughout 2024 than Palmer (26 objectives, 13 assists), a document by a Blues participant in a single yr.
Solely Erling Haaland (142) had extra photographs final yr within the top-flight (139) than Palmer, and solely Bruno Fernandes (99) created extra probabilities (97) than the Chelsea talisman.
MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN
Chelsea have gained 12 of their 15 Premier League away video games in opposition to Palace (D1 L2) – it’s the joint highest away win fee any facet has in opposition to one other within the competitors (80% – min. 10 conferences).
The Blues, nevertheless, have misplaced their final two Premier League video games, as many defeats as they’d suffered of their earlier 23 video games mixed (W15 D6). They final suffered extra losses in a row between April and Could 2023 throughout Frank Lampard’s second spell in cost (4).
Chelsea have solely gained their opening league match in one of many final eight calendar years (D5 L2), although this was a 1-0 win in opposition to Fulham in 2024. They final gained their first league recreation in consecutive years, in 2005 and 2006.
Palace’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea within the reverse fixture in September ended a run of 13 consecutive Premier League defeats in opposition to the Blues. They’ve not prevented defeat in each league conferences since 1991-92 (D2).
However having misplaced 5 of their first eight Premier League video games this season (D3), Palace have now misplaced simply two of their final 11 (W4 D5). Nonetheless, each defeats on this present run have been in house London derbies (0-2 v Fulham, 1-5 v Arsenal).
The Eagles have, nevertheless, misplaced their opening league match in every of the final three calendar years by an mixture rating of 12-2. All three of those matches have additionally been London derbies.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Crystal Palace – 27.5%
Draw – 24.3%
Chelsea – 48.2%
