class=”article_teaser__2t5do”>Stamford Bridge hosts a London derby on the opening weekend of the Premier League season and the Blues should have little trouble recording a win
European champions Chelsea begin their Premier League campaign on Saturday against Crystal Palace and Thomas Tuchel’s men will be aiming to show they are serious title contenders this season.
The Blues were in action in midweek in Belfast, triumphing on penalties against Villarreal in the UEFA Super Cup to round off what has been a successful pre-season.
Palace for their part have also enjoyed some promising results in preparation for the forthcoming campaign and new manager Patrick Vieira will hope to hit the ground running in his first match in charge.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace latest odds
Chelsea have won their last seven matches against their rivals from the south of the capital and bet365 price another victory at 1/4 (1.25).
Crystal Palace can be backed at 12/1 (13.00) to claim their first victory in this fixture since 2017 with the draw available at 19/4 (5.75).
TV channel, live stream & how to watch
N/A N/A
The game is not being shown live on TV in the United Kingdom (UK). There will be no streaming of the game live online either.
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The hosts are without Hakim Ziyech who scored the team’s goal in the UEFA Super Cup but had to go off with a shoulder injury.
It remains to be seen whether club record signing Romelu Lukaku comes straight into the starting XI having finalised his return to the club this week.
Palace are without injured trio Nathan Ferguson, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace preview
Last season Chelsea only managed to score more than three goals in a Premier League match on three occasions.
One of those games was against bottom side Sheffield United, the other two were against Palace, with the Blues winning 4-0 at home and 4-1 at Selhurst Park.
The signing of Lukaku is a statement of intent not only because of the eye-catching sum of money spent, but also because it reinforces the side in the final third, the one area where they were at times lacking last term.
Palace, meanwhile, suffered some heavy defeats in the 2020-21 campaign, not only being thrashed by Chelsea twice but also losing 7-0 to Liverpool, 4-0 to Manchester City and 4-1 to Tottenham.
Against a strong Chelsea team looking to kickstart the season in positive fashion the south Londoners could struggle once more.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace tips & predictions
Chelsea to win and over 2.5 goals in the game is priced at evens (2.00) and looks like an excellent angle from which to get the hosts onside.
Odds correct at time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.