Premier League Preview: Chelsea vs Crystal Palace – Blues on a Winning Streak but Defensive Concerns Loom Large

At 20:30 on September 1st, the third round of the Premier League will see Chelsea hosting Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

This summer, Chelsea spent 200 million euros to bring in several new signings, but just like other transfer windows during the Boehly era, this summer was also marked by chaos and negative news. Now that the transfer window is closed, the Blues can finally focus on their business on the pitch.

Since the start of the season, Chelsea’s form has been “unpredictable.” After a 0-2 defeat against Manchester City in the first round, they bounced back with consecutive wins over Servette and Wolves, especially with a 6-2 victory over Wolves in the last Premier League match which won widespread acclaim. However, in the Europa Conference League midweek, Chelsea lost 1-2 away to Servette, although they still advanced to the Europa Conference League proper with an aggregate score of 3-2, the issues with their form and defense have drawn a lot of criticism.

In this match, Chelsea will be fighting to avoid a humiliating 46-year record – they haven’t lost two consecutive home games at the start of a Premier League season since 1978. In fact, the Blues won 5 and drew 1 in their last 6 home Premier League matches last season, so the home advantage cannot be underestimated. This round, they hope to secure their first points and win at home in the league.

Crystal Palace also underwent a major overhaul during the summer transfer window, with the departures of Olise, Andersen, and others bringing in over 100 million euros. They spent 77.7 million to bring in a large number of new signings, which has posed the challenge of rebuilding the system and finding chemistry at the beginning of the season. In the first two rounds, Crystal Palace lost 1-2 to Brentford and 0-2 to West Ham United, with significant issues in both attack and defense. Fortunately, in the midweek EFL Cup, Crystal Palace beat a Championship team 4-0, with new signings like Daichi Kamada contributing goals and assists, which should help accelerate the integration process.

In terms of head-to-head results, from 2018 to now, Chelsea have won all 14 encounters against Crystal Palace (13 Premier League matches, 1 FA Cup match), showing a clear advantage.

In terms of players, Reece James and Lavia of Chelsea will continue to sit out. At the pre-match press conference, Maresca placed high hopes on Palmer, stating “I hope Palmer doesn’t get anxious trying to replicate last season’s stats, he just needs to relax and enjoy his football.” For Crystal Palace, defender Chady Liaud is out due to a knee injury, while attacking midfielder Matheus Franca remains sidelined.

>>”>For more predictions and analysis for this match, click >>>