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Chelsea at Crystal Palace: Match preview and where to watch

By Gabe Henderson

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea and Jordan Ayew of Crystal Palace battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea FC at Selhurst Park on July 07, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Tallis/Pool via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea and Jordan Ayew of Crystal Palace battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea FC at Selhurst Park on July 07, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Tallis/Pool via Getty Images) /
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Up next for Chelsea is a game in which the Blues always seem to find themselves struggling in. Chelsea travels to Crystal Palace on Saturday in hopes of bouncing back in the Premier League following its slip up last weekend. The Eagles, meanwhile, scored a goal in the dying moments of their last match to earn a draw. These two sides are in the middle of similar runs of form, with both going unbeaten in five of their last six. The Blues are coming off a shocking defeat in the league to relegation-battling West Brom, whereas Palace’s only loss since early February was at the hands of Tottenham.

Regardless of form, Roy Hodgson’s side always seems to stump Chelsea. While it may seem as if this is the perfect time to play a mid-table side, this is a typical trap game. Thomas Tuchel’s men looked resilient and focused against Porto mid-week, they cannot lose that edge at the weekend or they risk slipping further down the table. Chelsea is currently locked in, trying to break into the top four once again, whereas Crystal Palace has its sights set on the top half. A win on Saturday would see the Eagles come within one point of Arsenal in 10th.

Defeating the Blues will not be easy, especially considering the injuries that are plaguing Hodgson’s side. Crystal Palace will likely be without former Chelsea captain Gary Cahill, James Tomkins, Mamadou Sakho and Patrick van Aanholt. Michy Batshuayi—who scored the equalizer against Everton at the weekend—will also be unavailable per the Premier League’s loan rules. Wilfried Zaha returned from injury a few weeks ago, so his presence will give the side a bit of a boost.

On the other side of things, the Blues look relatively injury free. A few knocks to Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and N’Golo Kante left spectators worried about their status against Porto, but their inclusions were positive signs. Barring any incidents on the training ground, Tuchel should have a fully healthy squad to choose from on Saturday.

One thing to keep an eye on during this match is the personnel Tuchel chooses in the starting XI and off the bench. Chelsea is going to have its mind on the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Porto next week. At the same time, the Blues cannot get overconfident like they did against West Brom. Expect a few changes to the XI, but nothing too drastic given the importance of every contest from here on out.

Where can you view the live stream of Chelsea at Crystal Palace?

Date: Saturday, April 10
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. GMT)
Location: London, England
Venue: Selhurst Park
Referee: Michael Oliver
TV Info: NBC (USA), Sky Sports (UK)
Live Stream: NBC Sports (USA)

Next. Chelsea: Cesar Azpilicueta’s 150th match as captain. dark

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