Crystal Palace vs Chelsea

The Selhurst Park stadium in South London hosts a high-stakes London derby today, Sunday, January 25, 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 14:00 GMT (09:00 ET).

Chelsea arrives in 6th place (34 points), looking to bridge the gap to the top four under new head coach Liam Rosenior. Crystal Palace is currently in 13th place (28 points), mired in a difficult winter slump and searching for their first league victory in seven attempts.

Match Information

Chelsea: The Rosenior Era Gains Momentum

Since taking over from Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior has brought a sense of defensive stability to Stamford Bridge, winning three of his first four matches. However, the Blues face a major selection headache today with their talisman sidelined.

Confirmed Team News:

• The Palmer Blow: In a massive update for fantasy managers and fans alike, Cole Palmer has been left out of the matchday squad entirely as he continues to manage a thigh strain.

• Injury List: The Blues are also without Filip Jörgensen (calf), Levi Colwill (hamstring), Romeo Lavia, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Dário Essugo.

• Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James (c), Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella; Andrey Santos, Caicedo; Estevao Willian, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto; João Pedro.

• Impact Sub: Keep an eye on Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens, both named on a strong Chelsea bench.

Crystal Palace: Breaking the "Blue" Curse

Oliver Glasner remains under pressure to turn around a winless run that has seen the Eagles slip down the table. Historically, this has been a "bogey" fixture for Palace, but they will take heart from a 0–0 draw at Stamford Bridge earlier this season.

Confirmed Team News:

• Key Returns: The Eagles are bolstered by the return of Daniel Muñoz from a knee injury and Ismaïla Sarr, who is back following the Africa Cup of Nations.

• The "Mateta" Factor: Jean-Philippe Mateta remains the focal point of the attack, having scored six of Palace's last seven goals at Selhurst Park.

• Starting XI (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Munoz, Lerma, Wharton, Mitchell; Sarr, Johnson; Mateta.

• Absences: Palace continues to adapt to life without former captain Marc Guéhi, who departed the club in a high-profile move earlier this winter.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• Unbeaten Run: Chelsea is unbeaten in their last 17 matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions (13 wins, 4 draws)—their longest current streak against any Premier League opponent.

• Selhurst Dominance: Chelsea has won 12 of their 16 Premier League away games at Selhurst Park.

• The "Drought": Crystal Palace has failed to score in five of their last seven league matches.

• Managerial Change: This is Liam Rosenior's first London derby away from home since being appointed Chelsea head coach.

Tactical Analysis and Prediction

Without Cole Palmer, Chelsea loses their primary creative engine. Rosenior has countered this by starting Andrey Santos alongside Moisés Caicedo, likely pushing Enzo Fernández into a more advanced "number 10" role to support João Pedro. The pace of Estevao Willian and Pedro Neto on the wings will be Chelsea's primary weapon against Palace's back three.

For Crystal Palace, the return of Daniel Muñoz is vital. His overlapping runs will look to test Marc Cucurella, while Adam Wharton will attempt to pull the strings in midfield. Palace will likely sit deep and look to hit Mateta with direct balls, hoping to catch a Chelsea defense that has kept back-to-back clean sheets but remains prone to individual errors.

Final Score Prediction: Crystal Palace 0–1 Chelsea