Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Predictions

It is going to be a hard-fought match, as both teams are in good form coming to this game. However, Chelsea will just have the quality to edge out Palace in the opener at their home ground

Match info: Premier League

Venue: Stamford Bridge, London

Date: Sunday, 17^th August 2025

Time: 2 pm Nigerian time

Chelsea get their Premier League campaign underway with a London derby against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

The clubs won three trophies between them last season, and the Eagles have already added another, clinching the Community Shield last weekend.

Head-to-head:

• Chelsea have won 24 of the 32 Premier League meetings between the two teams.
• Crystal Palace have recorded just 4 victories.
• The remaining 4 clashes ended in draws.
• Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League matches against Crystal Palace, with 13 wins and two draws.
• Crystal Palace’s last victory at Stamford Bridge was in 2015, ending a 10-match winless streak there.
• Both teams enter the 2025-26 season opener with strong preseason form; Chelsea scored six goals in two friendlies, and Palace has been unbeaten since April.
• 8 of their last 10 encounters produced at least 2 goals.
• There was no clean sheet in their last 4 meetings.

Form:

• Chelsea since pre-season: L-W-W
• Crystal Palace since pre-season: D-L-W-L-W

Team News:

• Jamie Gittens, Estevao, and Jorrel Hato are yet to play in an official match for Chelsea, while Liam Delap and Pedro both appeared at the Club World Cup. Colwill is ruled out due to an ACL injury, while Nicolas Jackson is suspended for a red card he picked up last season.
• Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi have both been linked with a transfer away from the club, but will still play this opener in the Premier League. Eddie Nketiah and Matheus França are ruled out of this game. At the same time, Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad are out for the next couple of months.

Player(s) to watch:

• Cole Palmer can play an important role for Chelsea in this match. His quick thinking and accurate passing can break the opposition’s defence. Last season, the Englishman scored goals on big occasions. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder will provide rhythm and creativity in the offensive game, which can give the team an early lead. Palmer scored 15 goals and provided nine assists in 37 matches in the Premier League last season.
• Eberechi Eze could make his first appearance for Crystal Palace in the upcoming season, even amid transfer rumours in the summer. His dribbling skills and pace can unsettle defences. He scored several crucial goals last season. He will look to give the team an edge with creativity and confidence in attack. The 27-year-old had eight goals and eight assists in 34 appearances in the Premier League in 2024-25.