The new Premier League season is here! And Saturday sees a London derby that matches up the team we picked to win the league, versus the team we think will finish dead last.
Yes, that’s right, we believe the record breaking signing, which brought Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge, will be enough to put the Blues over the top and ahead of Manchester City in the end. We also believe that Crystal Palace could end up being one of the worst sides in Premier League history.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace FYIs
Kickoff: Sat Aug 14, 3pm GMT, Stamford Bridge
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction: go here
Season Previews: Chelsea Crystal Palace
Premier League Season Preview Podcast: go here
Odds: Chelsea (-400) | Crystal Palace (+1100) | Draw (+450)
Team News for Both Sides
For the Blues, Hakim Ziyech is out with a shoulder problem while Lukaku will most likely not feature. His transfer, the most expensive sale in Serie A history and the costliest buy in Chelsea history, was severely delayed and that means he won’t be able to feature here.
Expensive German imports Kai Havertz and Timo Werner struggled in their first season at Stamford Bridge, maybe this season will see them come correct.
As for Palace, they have a trio of absentees in Eberechi Eze (achilles), Nathan Ferguson (achilles) and Michael Olise (back). Manager Roy Hodgson is gone, as are eight first team players, so this could be a dicey campaign.
Prediction: Chelsea 3, Crystal Palace 0
This one could get ugly, and it could get ugly quick, given the talent disparity between the two sides.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.