Chelsea vs Crystal Palace, Premier League live!
Follow all of the action from Stamford Bridge
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea host Crystal Palace in the late kick-off on Saturday, with Antonio Conte’s side looking to avoid their fifth defeat in six Premier League games. Pressure has been mounting on Conte and his Chelsea side after a string of disappointing results, and with the Blues in fifth in the Premier League table and five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, there is a genuine risk of failing to qualify for the 2018/19 Champions League.
Conte’s side will come up against a Crystal Palace team who have been blighted by an injury epidemic, and fresh off the back of their last-gasp defeat to Manchester United on Monday night, the game at Stamford Bridge takes on an added dimension of importance for Roy Hodgson’s side, who remain 18th in the Premier League table.
Palace under Hogdson had looked to be steering clear of relegation, though a recent barren run has seen relegation resurface as a serious possibility. The Eagles have won their last two encounters with Chelsea in the Premier League, and Palace will be hoping to replicate their form from this fixture last year when they travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Follow all of the action below!
What time does it start?
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace kicks off at 17.30pm on 10 Saturday at Stamford Bridge.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on BT Sport 1. Coverage starts at 17.00pm. Highlights will be shown at 22.30pm on BBC1.
It’s a big game for…
Antonio Conte. Chelsea’s title-winning manager has endured a serious case of second-season syndrome, and Saturday’s game at Palace is unquestionably a must win for Conte. Three points would go some way to getting Chelsea back on track, though they have lost their last two games against Palace in the Premier League – both of which were 2-1 defeats.
Best stat:
If Chelsea lose at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, their run of five defeats in six will match their worst ever run in the Premier League, equaling that of Jose Mourinho’s final season in 2015/16.
Remember when…
Last time out in this fixture, Crystal Palace emerged as the victors in a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge. Re-live the goals here.
Player to watch…
Christian Benteke. Given Palace’s severe injury crisis, Hodgson will be looking to his big name players to deliver, and club-record signing Christian Benteke certainly falls under that bracket. The Belgian forward has been in disappointing form throughout the 2017/18 campaign, though Saturday’s game against Chelsea, who were rumoured to have held an interest in Benteke, could be a chance for the striker to redeem himself with a crucial contribution.
Past three meetings…
Crystal Palace 2 Chelsea 1, Premier League, October 2017
Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 2, Premier League, April 2017
Crystal Palace 0 Chelsea 1, Premier League, December 2016
Form guide…
Chelsea: LWWDLL
Crystal Palace: LLDLLL
Odds…
Chelsea to win: 7/25
Draw: 23/5
Crystal Palace to win: 11/1
9: Save from Hennessey! Kante's shuffled shot floats towards goal but Giroud, who was onside, waves a leg at it but can't make contact.
10: Zappacosta has a shot blocked cutting inside from the right flank. It looks like the Blues are going to try and make in-roads down that flank. Chelsea slowly taking control of the game.
12: SO CLOSE! Andros Townsend for Palace almost pulls off a 'howitzer', striking a bouncing ball left-footed from the edge of the 'D' towards goal but it's just a fraction too high. Courtois, in goal for the Blues, was getting nowhere near that.
15: Chelsea attempting playing the ball around delicately outside the Palace penalty area, orchestrated by Eden Hazard. But then the ball falls to Kante, who, like a luddite trying to send an email, squanders possession. 0-0.
17: Pop-shot from Willian. Not entirely sure what that phrase means but it fits that strike aptly. Left-footed, low, daisy-cutter esque but not quite, yet easily saved by Hennessey. Everything he has had to do so far has been pretty straightforward. Chelsea's build-up play, though, has been impressive in the early stages.
22: Half-way through the first-half already. You're not missing much, former Chelsea man Patrick van Aanholt is down receiving treatment. Chelsea have a corner.
23: Ah.The corner is taken short, worked nicely around the edges of the penalty area, and then Willian blazes it over the cross-bar.
25: Willian wakes the Stamford Bridge hordes from their slumber with a deflected effort from outside the area. He cuts inside from the left flank, finds the space outside the area and fires right-footed low and hard. It deflects off the foot of Kelly who inexplicably turns his back, diverting the ball away from Hennessey towards the post and in. 1-0!
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