The Champions League and EUFA Super Cup winners, Chelsea will open their 2021-22 Premier League campaign with a home fixture against fellow Londoners Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Saturday with kickoff at 17:00.
Chelsea have been impressive under Thomas Tuchel who has made a huge impression at Stamford Bridge since his arrival, steering the London club to its second Champions League glory and although his side needed a penalty shootout to overcome Villarreal in the EUFA Super Cup on Wednesday night, it was yet another European silverware for the Blues.
This will be Tuchel’s first full season and its no question that the Blues need to show improvement in the Premier League this season having only just finished fourth last season with 19 points behind champions Manchester City.
However, they look set to change that this time around as they head into the new campaign with an unbeaten run in the pre-season including a 2-1 win over London rivals Arsenal and a 2-2 draw with another London rivals Tottenham and also the club confirmed to have re-signed Romelu Lukaku yesterday at a fee of £97.5m.
The Blues go into the new campaign looking to build on their recent European success and will be keen to make a positive start at home considering that they have a tough start to the campaign as Tuchel’s side will visit Arsenal and Liverpool after the Palace match.
Meanwhile Crystal Palace are coming into a new era as the club has indeed undergone changes over the summer, with the arrival of Patrick Viera as the club’s new manager and whole hosts of players arriving and others leaving the London club. The arrivals include Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, Michael Olise, Remi Matthews, Jacob Montes and Conor Gallagher while the departures include Andros Towsend, Patrick van Aanholt, James McCarthy, Scot Dann and Gary Cahill.
Therefore, there will be a new look at Palace and it will be fascinating to see what the club can achieve this season as Viera will be desperate to make an impression in the Premier League having enjoyed so much success as a player.
Crystal palace also head into the new campaign off the back of an unbeaten run in the preseason preparations, playing five friendlies and recording four wins and a draw. Therefore, they will take confidence from their unbeaten preseason campaign and their 3-1 win against Watford in their last friendly but also keeping in mind the challenge that faces them.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace head to head
Both sides have met 23 times since 1994 with Chelsea claiming 18 victories while Palace have only four victories and one match ended in a draw. Take a look;
- Crystal Palace 1-4 Chelsea 10/04/21
- Chelsea 4-0 Crystal Palace 03/10/20
- Crystal Palace 2-3 Chelsea 07/07/20
- Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace 09/11/19
- Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea 30/12/18
Home
- Chelsea 6-5 Villarreal (AP)
- Chelsea 2-2 Tottenham
- Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
- Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth
- Man City 0-1 Chelsea
Away
- Crystal Palace 3-1 Watford
- Reading 1-3 Crystal Palace
- Crystal Palace 2-2 Charlton
- Ipswich 0-1 Crystal Palace
- Walsall 0-1 Crystal Palace
Chelsea team news
Chelsea will be without the services of Hakim Ziyech who suffered a shoulder injury in the EUFA Super Cup match.
Crystal Palace team news
Palace will miss a number of their players including the new signing Olise who has a back problem and both Eberechi Eze and Nathan Ferguson with Achilles injuries.
Prediction and odds
- Chelsea win
- Both sides to score
- Goals over 2.5
