The EPL rolls on this weekend, and we’re kicking off Sunday’s slate with a match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea. Two teams in need of some points are going head-to-head in one of the last matches of the January transfer window, and we’re bound to have drama.
Chelsea is a +105 favorite to win on DraftKings Sportsbook, and Crystal Palace is +255. There are +265 odds of a draw. Let’s get into a prediction and a pick for this Crystal Palace-Chelsea game.
Crystal Palace vs. Chelsea prediction, pick
This is a big opportunity for Chelsea. Sitting in sixth place in the table, the Blues can jump into the top five with a win after Liverpool choked away its match on Saturday. If Manchester United loses later in the day to league-leading Arsenal, Chelsea will be in a position to play Champions League football. It would be a great way to build momentum after appointing new manager Liam Rosenior.
Luckily for them, they’re facing a Crystal Palace side falling into disarray. This 10-game winless streak has been filled with drama. Palace fell out of the FA Cup after losing to Macclesfield, the biggest Cup upset in FA history by table position. Club captain Marc Guehi is being sold to Manchester City, and attacking hub Jean-Philippe Mateta may follow him out the door sooner than later. All the while, manager Oliver Glasner continues to crash out at press conferences, making it clear that he feels undermined by management. It’s a steep fall from their FA Cup win last season and sojourn into European football.
Despite Palace’s struggles, two key things are working against Chelsea here. First, Palace uses a three-man back line, a formation that has given the Blues trouble. Second, no manager has won their first two EPL games since 2021; Rosenior’s side pulled out the victory in his debut match. There’s enough doubt in this Chelsea side to think they split the points at Selhurst Park.
