Chelsea vs Crystal Palace preview, predictions & confirmed team news

Chelsea will be looking to make it six Premier League wins on the bounce with victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Blues have been in imposing form of late and could leapfrog Leicester City – who face Arsenal later in the day – into third with maximum reward against Palace.
As for Roy Hodgson, the Eagles currently occupy ninth place in the table, but are winless in three, so points will be crucial this weekend if the south Londoners are to stay on track for a possible top-six finish.
Read on for Chelsea vs Crystal Palace TV info, team news, key players, predictions and more
When is Chelsea vs Crystal Palace and what TV channel is it on?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Saturday, 9 November 2019
Kick-off: 12:30 PM (UK time)
TV coverage (UK): BT Sport 1
Last five meetings: Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
30 Dec 2018: Palace 0-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
04 Nov 2018: Chelsea 3-1 Palace (Premier League)
10 Mar 2018: Chelsea 2-1 Palace (Premier League)
14 Oct 2017: Palace 2-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
01 Apr 2017: Chelsea 1-2 Palace (Premier League)
Aggregate Score: Chelsea (WWWLL) 8-6 Crystal Palace (LLLWW)
Ones to watch
Chelsea: Christian Pulisic
Despite initially struggling in a Chelsea shirt, the American superstar has now well and truly acclimatised to English football and is starting to really flourish under the guidance of Frank Lampard.
The former Borussia Dortmund winger had to bide his time, but he is now a firm starter for the Blues, netting four goals in his previous two Premier League outings, including an emphatic hat-trick away to Burnley. He also won the penalty for Chelsea’s first goal in midweek’s 4-4 Champions League draw against Ajax.
Key stat: For Chelsea players with over one Premier League appearance, Pulisic averages the most take-ons per 90 minutes (4.4).
Crystal Palace: Jordan Ayew
The permanent summer signing of Jordan Ayew was met by little enthusiasm among Palace fans who witnessed the hard-working forward score just once in 20 Premier League appearances last season.
They will perhaps be pleasantly surprised by how things have actually panned out, however. Ayew has four top-flight goals for the campaign so far, 57% of the team’s overall total excluding penalties, and has just won the Eagles’ Player of the Month award for October.
What is more, two of those goals came against traditionally big teams in Manchester United and Arsenal and three have been scored away from home. Only six players in the division have more away goals this season than Ayew, whose 50% conversion rate has served him well on the road (28.6% overall).
Palace are unlikely to have a raft of chances. In fact, they have the division’s worst record for shots away from home (27). It is vital they are clinical, and on current form Hodgson has no attacker more clinical than Ayew.
Key stat: Jordan Ayew has scored 57% of Crystal Palace’s Premier League goals this season, excluding penalties.
Team news
Chelsea
Frank Lampard has made three changes from the Chelsea side that drew 4-4 with Ajax in midweek, with N’Golo Kante returning in midfield – replacing the suspended Jorginho.
There is also a first Premier League start for Reece James at right-back, with the 19-year-old picked ahead of club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, while Emerson starts over Marcos Alonso. Mason Mount passed his fitness test after picking up a slight injury against Ajax.
Confirmed XI:Arrizabalaga; James, Tomori, Zouma, Emerson; Kante, Kovacic, Mount; Willian, Abraham, Pulisic.
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Crystal Palace
Cheikhou Kouyate and Gary Cahill both suffered respective head injuries in the defeat to Leicester City at the weekend but have returned to the starting XI for Chelsea, with the latter facing his former club for the first time since leaving.
There is just one change for Palace from the team that lost to Leicester City last weekend, with Andros Townsend recovering from injury to replace Jeffrey Schlupp in the starting XI.
Predicted XI:Guaita; Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, Van Aanholt; Townsend, Kouyate, Milivojevic, McCarthur, Zaha; Ayew.
Squawka prediction
Crystal Palace are an exceptionally resolute side, but Frank Lampard has stepped it up a gear in recent weeks. His Chelsea side are firing on all cylinders in the Premier League, and so, in front of a packed Stamford Bridge crowd this weekend, expect their winning run to stretch.
Scoreline prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace