Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – LIVE!
Chelsea attempt to reverse their recent form as they travel to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in their first match of 2025. Enzo Maresca’s side have picked up only one point from their last three matches, after back-to-back defeats against Fulham and Ipswich, and it has left them ten points off the pace set by Liverpool.
There are still defensive issues, with Benoit Badiashile out until next month at least and Wesley Fofana potentially missing the rest of the season, but Reece James could make his return and Romeo Lavia is pushing to be involved. It has been a quieter spell for Cole Palmer, who has scored only once in the last five matches.
Palace’s form has picked up by they are only five points clear of the relegation zone, despite coming from behind to beat Southampton a week ago. That was only the second win the Eagles have managed on home soil in the league this season. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below, featuring expert analysis from Malik Ouzia at the ground!
Kick-off: 3pm GMT | Selhurst Park
How to watch: Not on TV in UK
Crystal Palace team news
Chelsea team news
Standard Sport prediction
13:25 , Matt Verri
Chelsea have been charged by the FA for “failing to ensure their players did not behave in a way which was improper” in their Premier League defeat at Ipswich.
Blues players were left incensed with referee John Brooks when Ipswich were awarded a penalty at Portman Road after VAR ruled goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen fouled Liam Delap.
A number of Chelsea players surrounded Brooks. Enzo Fernandez and Levi Colwill were both booked for dissent and Fernandez had to be held back from arguing with Ipswich players.
Explaining the decision at the time the Premier League said in a statement: “The referee’s call of penalty for a foul by Jorgensen on Delap was checked and confirmed by VAR, who deemed there was sufficient contact for a penalty.”
Delap then put Ipswich ahead from the spot and Chelsea went on to lose 2-0.
Chelsea have until January 7 to respond to the charge.
13:14 , Matt Verri
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has left the door open to further loan recalls this month, but Trevoh Chalobah will not prove the answer to the club’s centre-back injury crisis.
The Blues are light at the heart of defence heading into the second half of the season, after Maresca confirmed lengthy spells on the sidelines for both Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana.
Fofana could miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury sustained against Aston Villa at the start of last month, while Badiashile, who had briefly stepped up as his deputy, will not return until February at the earliest after suffering a hamstring problem of his own.
On Friday, the Blues confirmed that 19-year-old defender Aaron Anselmino has been recalled from his loan spell at Boca Juniors, having been sent straight back to the Argentine outfit after signing for Chelsea last summer.
Chalobah, who joined Palace on a season-long loan on August’s deadline day, will be ineligible for today’s clash with his parent club.
The 25-year-old has started all but one of the Eagles’s last 13 Premier League games, scoring three goals in that time, and on Friday, Glasner hinted that he is keen to make the deal permanent.
Recalling Chalobah has been mooted as a short-term solution to Chelsea’s shortage at centre-back but it is understood that his loan agreement did not include a mid-season break clause.
13:08 , Matt Verri
It’s a very cold afternoon in south London…
13:01 , Matt Verri
With Palace solid of late and Chelsea stalling, it could prove to be a fairly tight encounter.
The Blues have not been quite so impressive in attack in recent weeks, and could be frustrated again.
Draw, 1-1.
12:53 , Matt Verri
Chelsea could have Romeo Lavia back this afternoon, but Enzo Maresca has revealed some very bad news on the defensive injury front.
Midfielder Lavia has missed the last four Premier League matches with a hamstring problem, a run that has coincided with Chelsea’s marked dip in form during the festive period.
“Romeo is very close, he started to work with us,” manager Maresca confirmed in a rare piece of good injury news during Friday’s pre-match press conference.
Maresca, however, confirmed that defender Wesley Fofana is set to be out for a “very long time” with a serious hamstring problem that could even end his season. Fellow centre-back Benoit Badiashile will also be sidelined until at least next month.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remains out injured, but captain Reece James is available again having made his return to the fold as an unused substitute during the 2-0 defeat by Ipswich earlier this week.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson
12:46 , Matt Verri
Palace skipper Marc Guehi will return from the one-match suspension he served during the Saints game.
Adam Wharton and Matheus Franca are injured. Will Hughes will also miss the game, while Trevoh Chalobah cannot face his parent club.
12:39 , Matt Verri
TV channel and live stream: Today’s game will not be shown live in the UK as it takes place during the 3pm TV blackout still imposed across English football on Saturdays.
Free Highlights: BBC One’s Match of the Day will broadcast highlights when it airs at 10:20pm GMT on Saturday night.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the action right here, featuring expert analysis from Chelsea correspondent Malik Ouzia at Selhurst.
12:30 , Matt Verri
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Crystal Palace vs Chelsea!
A London derby to kick things off in 2025 for these two clubs and both could really do with a successful start to the year.
Chelsea have dropped off the pace at the top of the table after a three-match winless run, while Palace are only five points clear of the relegation zone.
We’ll have all the latest updates and build-up ahead of kick-off, which comes at 3pm GMT from Selhurst Park!
