The Chelsea Women don’t have much time to lick their wounds after a tough defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League on Sunday. It was the first time they lost a match this season by more than two goals as the Liga F squad ran rampant with a series of late goals that pushed the Blues to the brink of elimination.
The Blues have the return leg at Stamford Bridge this weekend but before that they need to handle business against the bottom side in the WSL. Crystal Palace is not mathematically relegated just yet but they are 7 points adrift of safety with 4 matches remaining so it is a near certainty that they will face the drop this season.
As for Chelsea, they are three points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table but with a game in hand because they were occupied with Liverpool in the FA Cup. They had a chance to build more cushion in their last time out in the WSL but let a two-goal lead slip against London rivals West Ham on March 30.
We have seen these type of leads in the table slip so Chelsea will need to be at their best against a side that has nothing to lose. The most dangerous teams are the ones that can play freely and if Palace have accepted their fate they will look to play spoiler for the Blues.
The last time they faced Palace was in a tight FA Cup fixture that Chelsea won by just one goal thanks to Lauren James midway through the second half. The reverse fixture in the league was a dominant 7-0 win and a repeat of that would be a great confidence boost ahead of the second leg vs Barcelona.
Chelsea are starting to feel Arsenal breathing down their neck and a comfortable win would be the perfect way to quiet down their noisy neighbors.
Chelsea Team News:
Lauren James is still out with a hamstring injury but Naomi Girma is now fit enough to start the match. Nathalie Bjorn will be rested for the match according to manager Sonia Bompastor.
How to watch Chelsea Women vs Crystal Palace live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11:15am EST, Wednesday
Venue: Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey
Streaming: ESPN+ in the United States, BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in the UK
Prediction:
We expect Chelsea to cruise against a side they dominated earlier in the league.