Blues Bulletin: Crystal Palace vs Chelsea

In a February filled with cup games so far, it is back to league action this weekend and we preview the game here with stats and facts, including news of some records that could be set...

Chelsea vs Crystal Palace head to head

Crystal Palace have won two and lost nine, including the last three of their past 11 home league games against Chelsea. The Blues have never won four league matches in a row at Selhurst Park.The Eagles’ last win against Chelsea was in October 2017 at Selhurst Park. Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso were both in the Blues side that day.

Chelsea stats

Chelsea are playing our first Premier League match in a month since we beat Tottenham 2-0 on 23 January.No side has conceded fewer away league goals than Chelsea in the top flight this term (eight from 12 games).Our last Premier League London derby on the road against West Ham in December ended our run of seven successive away victories in the capital. The Blues have not lost consecutive derbies on the road since December 2017 – when we lost against Crystal Palace and West Ham.

The Blues have dropped 13 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season.Chelsea have not been losing at half-time in any of our 24 Premier League games this season.

Since we lost successive games in September against Man City and Juventus, the Blues have only been defeated twice in 30 matches in all competitions winning 21 of them including one on a penalty shoot-out.

Crystal Palace stats

This season’s Premier League stats (24 games)Most starts: Mitchell 24, Guehi 23, Ward 23Most assists: Olise 4, Edouard 3, Gallagher 3Most clean sheets: Guaita 6Red cards: Zaha 1

Premier League scorersGallagher 7, Edouard 6 (1 pen), Zaha 6 (2 pens), Benteke 4, Guehi 2, Olise 2, Schlupp 2, Ayew 1, Mateta 1, Tomkins 1

Forty per cent of Crystal Palace’s Premier League wins this season have come against sides starting the day in the top four of the table (two from five). The Eagles have never won three games against sides in the top four in the same season.Patrick Vieira’s side are hoping to avoid a third successive home Premier League defeat in 2022. The last time they lost three consecutive games at Selhurst Park in the competition was in July 2020, a run that included a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea.

The Eagles have won 17 points from their 12 home league games this season. They have won four games against Tottenham, Wolves, Everton and Norwich, drawn five to Brentford, Brighton, Leicester, Newcastle and Southampton, and have lost three to Aston Villa, West Ham and Liverpool.

Crystal Palace have won two of their last 13 Premier League games (drawn five, lost six), and are winless in their last five since a 3-0 victory over Norwich in December.Wilfried Zaha made his 250th Premier League appearance for Crystal Palace at Brentford last week and became just the third African player to hit that milestone for a single club in the league after Shola Ameobi (294 for Newcastle) and Didier Drogba (254 for Chelsea).Odsonne Edouard has scored four goals in five Premier League London derbies so far, only failing to find the net at Brentford last week.Michael Olise has been directly involved in seven goals in his past seven games in all competitions (three goals, four assists).

Conor Gallagher is Crystal Palace’s top scorer this season (seven) as well as having the second-most assists (five). He has also had the most shots on target (17) and attempted the most crosses (88). He is ineligible to play against his parent club on Saturday.

Patrick Vieira’s managerial record against Chelsea

Won 0Drawn 0Lost 1

Crystal Palace’s major January signing

Jean-Philippe Mateta - from Mainz

Discipline

There are no suspensions.

Players who accumulate 10 yellow cards in Premier League matches up to and including our 32nd fixture will serve a two-match suspension in the competition.