Important Facts
- Palace is 13th (28 points) with Brighton two points ahead and Tottenham one point behind; Chelsea is sixth (34), just one point behind United.
- Palace are winless in ten competitive games, most recently losing to Macclesfield in the cup; a lack of control after chances and the absences of Kamada and Nketiah are exacerbating the situation.
- Chelsea have won three of their last five games without a draw, but often start slowly—all five games had fewer than 1.5 goals before the break.
- Despite their late scoring prowess, Chelsea have scored in each of their last five games after halftime, often driven by Caicedo and Fernández in central midfield.
- Personnel-wise, Chelsea’s defense has been depleted by Colwill’s knee injury and Adarabioyo’s absence; at Palace, confirmed departures and Mateta’s transfer speculation are causing additional unrest.
- Chelsea are unbeaten in five league meetings (2W/3D); with odds of 2.0 and 80% of Palace’s first halves under 1.5 goals, ‘Chelsea to lead at halftime’ seems a reasonable bet.
There is more excitement in this match than the league table suggests at first glance. On Sunday, in the 23rd round of the Premier League, Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace, 13th in the table with 28 points, welcomes Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea, currently 6th in the table with 34 points, and the betting market is clearly leaning towards the visitors. Interestingly, this fixture has been close recently, including a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge on the first day of the season in August. Palace are under pressure after a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland in the league and a winless run in all competitions, which is below what their early season form suggested. Off the pitch, Glasner has confirmed he will leave at the end of the season, while Mateta has informed the club he wants to leave, with Guehi and Eze already confirmed departures. Chelsea are chasing the top five and could get a boost from Palmer’s return to training after their 1-0 Champions League win over Pafos, in which Caicedo scored the decisive goal.
- Venue: Selhurst Park, London
- Date and time: January 25, 2026, 3:00 p.m.
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 23)
Bookmakers see Chelsea as clear favorites, with odds of 2.0, and it will be particularly exciting to see whether this advantage is reflected in goals early on. With Palmer back in training and Caicedo setting the pace in midfield, Chelsea can strike before Crystal Palace really gets into the game – a half-time lead therefore seems plausible. Nevertheless, Colwill’s absence and Tosin’s absence will create space for Mateta, and given the speculation surrounding Glasner’s departure, both “Both teams to score: Yes” and “Over 2.5 goals” remain interesting options.
Crystal Palace Form & Record Check
Palace are going through a bad patch: a 2-1 league defeat at Sunderland, where Pino’s lead was not enough, then the FA Cup shock at Macclesfield, also 2-1, followed by a dull 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle and a 1-1 draw with Fulham. The problem is not commitment, but control after scoring chances, far too often recently. They are without a win in 10 games in all competitions, and their recent league record reflects that. Interestingly, four of the last five first halves have been under 1.5 goals, yet Palace have conceded in four of those games, mostly after the break, and in four of the five, the 1.5 goal mark has been exceeded by the final whistle. There has been no second-half win in this sample, suggesting game control and the impact of the bench. In the table, Glasner’s team is in 13th place with 28 points, with Brighton just 2 points ahead and Tottenham 1 behind, so every draw or late wobble has real cost. Glasner said the squad feels depleted after the sales of Eze in the summer and Guehi this month, and Mateta is openly weighing up his future.
Injuries to Kamada and Nketiah further thin out the attacking rotation.
Glasner is expected to stick with his familiar 3-4-2-1, although that remains only a projection. Henderson would likely be covered by Richards and Lacroix, while Lerma once again takes on the role of third center back, with Muñoz and Mitchell providing width as wing-backs. In midfield, Wharton and Doucouré look like the best choice to balance playmaking and ball recovery. Ahead of them, Johnson and Pino are the most likely duo between the lines, especially with Kamada still out. Mateta is expected to be the central focal point in attack, despite the talk surrounding his future, while Nketiah’s thigh problem limits the alternatives, with Uche remaining the most obvious direct replacement. Kporha’s absence also reduces defensive cover, so Riad or Canvot could be next in line.
Chelsea Form & Record Check
Chelsea’s record in all competitions is three wins from five without a draw, although it hasn’t always looked comfortable. The 1-0 Champions League win against Pafos and the 2-0 league win against Brentford were controlled, not brilliant, both decided late on, while the 5-1 FA Cup win at Charlton was down to a big difference in quality. What is striking is the slow start, with all five games remaining below 1.5 goals before half-time. The downside is evident when the tempo increases: Arsenal’s 3-2 League Cup semifinal win at Stamford Bridge exposed a leaky defense in transition, and Fulham’s 2-1 league win showed that Chelsea can be rushed when their build-up play is under pressure. The clean sheets against Brentford and Pafos help, but in the Premier League they sit sixth in the table with 34 points, one behind Manchester United and one ahead of Brentford. Roseniors squad management could be crucial at Selhurst Park. Colwill remains a loss in defense, Adarabioyo is out, and Essugo’s recent setback makes midfield depth thin, especially with Lavia not fully available. Palmer trained after a minor thigh problem and could return. Chelsea have scored after halftime in each of their last five games, often with Caicedo and Fernández driving the late surge, but another slow start could bring pressure.
Chelsea are likely to stick with Rosenior’s familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, with Sánchez behind a back four of Gusto, Fofana, Badiashile, and Hato. The key will be the double pivot of Caicedo and Fernández, who should create space for Palmer to find the gaps as a number 10. Neto and Garnacho are expected to start on the wings and feed Delap early and often. Without the ball, this front four could lead a fairly aggressive press. Selection will depend more on fitness than tactics. Palmer trained this week after a minor thigh problem, so his inclusion is still a late decision, with João Pedro a plausible alternative in the center. In defense, Colwill’s protracted knee injury, Adarabioyo’s thigh problem, and Disasi’s unavailability keep Chalobah and Cucurella in contention. Mudryk remains suspended, while Essugo is out for more than a month.
Crystal Palace – Chelsea Head-to-Head & Statistics
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last five Premier League encounters, with two wins and three draws, while Palace have failed to beat them. The most recent meeting in August 2025 ended 0-0. Before that, there were 1-1 draws in 2025 and 2024, then Chelsea won 3-1 in 2024 and 2-1 in 2023. None of the five games were decided by more than two goals. There is a clear series of three draws, starting in 2024 and continuing until August 2025, which has kept the series close without changing the overall picture. Interestingly, Palace has scored in four consecutive encounters, but has also conceded goals in those same four games. Four of the five games exceeded 1.5 total goals, so draws did not always mean quiet games. The pace was mostly controlled early on. In four of the five games, the first half remained under 1.5 goals, and in four games, the second half also remained under 1.5, suggesting games that rarely break open. Overall, four out of five games ended with under 3.5 goals, so even when Chelsea narrowly prevailed, they usually decided the game without an open exchange of blows.
