English Premier
2025-08-17 - Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 17th August 2025 - Kick Off 2pm
This game is live on TV
Chelsea
They may have a young squad, but Chelsea will have taken considerable steps in their development by returning to the Champions League and winning the Conference League. Both of those successes may have felt like manager Enzo Maresca meeting expectations, but fans have to be very encouraged by lifting the Club World Cup with a win over Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea feel like a potential title contender.
There is a feeling that both Arsenal and Liverpool will have the edge, but The Blues have been handed a kind looking fixture list to open the season compared with those two favourites. This will give Chelsea the chance to gain an early edge over the two clubs mentioned and they do open the season at Stamford Bridge where the side had a 12-5-2 record in the top flight.
Chelsea have won 8 of their last 10 games in all competitions and they have suffered a single defeat in that time, which will clearly have given the players a lot of confidence and belief. They have a chance to extend the winning run at Stamford Bridge to 5 games in all competitions on Sunday in the Premier League opener.
Levi Colwell has been ruled out for much of the next season having damaged his ACL, while the likes of Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile may not be ready. Big money has been spent again in the summer transfer window and Chelsea may yet move for a replacement for Colwell, while also being linked with Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho. Nicolas Jackson is suspended, but also thinking about a move away following the arrivals of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.
Crystal Palace
Chairman Steve Parish joked about Crystal Palace playing home games at Wembley Stadium after watching the team beat Liverpool on Penalties in the Community Shield on Sunday. That followed the FA Cup wins over Aston Villa and Manchester City last season, although the start of the Premier League campaign has been soured by a decision made by UEFA.
A breach of multi-club ownership rules meant Crystal Palace were demoted from the Europa League and the appeal failed earlier this week which means they have Conference Play Off ties to play in August instead. It has frustrated so many involved with the club, especially as John Textor has sold his stake, and it is a story that may run a little longer.
The Eagles finished 12th in the Premier League table last season, the latest of a mid-table finish that has become a feature of the club. However, winning the FA Cup is a huge achievement for Oliver Glasner and his players and they can have a serious tilt at picking up more silverware in the Conference League which has been won by West Ham United and Chelsea previously.
Crystal Palace have extended their unbeaten run to 9 games in all competitions, although 4 of the last 6 Premier League fixtures have ended in draws. The away form suffered a little bit in the top flight as Crystal Palace progressed in the FA Cup, and they ended last season with a single win in 6 games played on their travels.
Marc Guehi has overcome a cramp issue, but he is being heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, while Eberechi Eze has been reported to be targeted by Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Both are going to be available at the time of writing, but that is something to keep an eye on in the build up to Sunday. Eddie Nketiah and Daichi Kamada are set to miss out.
Head to Head
Both Premier League games between these London rivals ended in the same 1-1 scoreline last season.
Chelsea led in both games before being pegged back.
The 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in September 2024 ended a run of 7 successive defeats for Crystal Palace in this part of West London.
Prediction
Oliver Glasner has picked up more silverware as manager of Crystal Palace to confirm that he will never have to pay for another drink in South London.
The manager has yet to extend his contract with the club, which runs out at the end of this season, and he has voiced his frustrations at not being able to add more bodies to his squad.
This frustration will increase if the likes of Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze are allowed to be moved on, which is something that Steve Parish hinted at after the Community Shield success. The former of those players is out of contract at the end of the season and so may need to be cashed in, but losing Eze too will make this a tough window without significant incomings before the end of the month.
The rumours did not distract Crystal Palace in an impressive performance in the Community Shield and they deserved to come out on top against Champions Liverpool.
Being dropped into the Conference League does mean unexpected European action this month and the squad is going to have a tough time playing in multiple competitions, which is the main reason Oliver Glasner has wanted more arrivals.
The fans will be encouraged by the performance against Liverpool after the manager hinted that his team could have another slow start to the season. They have lost 3 of the last 4 fixtures played on opening day, including at Brentford last season, and now another trip to West London awaits.
Chelsea are the hosts this season and the newly crowned World Champions have a young squad that will have taken plenty of confidence out of performances in the United States. They already earned a return to the Champions League and won the Conference League in May and Enzo Maresca has a squad capable of a top four finish and maybe even a title challenge.
Home form was key for Chelsea who won 12 of 19 Premier League games played here, although one of the failures was against Crystal Palace. Wastefulness cost Chelsea that day, but the attacking arrivals in the summer window will help and the feeling is that The Blues can edge to a victory in an entertaining game.
Crystal Palace played well in derby games in the second half of last season, while they have plenty of quality to take the game to Chelsea. The Eagles are a team that will feel they can score anywhere, and they may here too, but Chelsea may have enough in the final third and with options on the bench to out-score the visitors in a fun game for the neutrals tuning in.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
