Premier League 2025-2026: Chelsea-Crystal Palace, the likely lineups
After the irrelevant defeat in the group stage of the Club World Cup against Flamengo, Chelsea has not lost a beat since: the very rainbow review ended triumphantly for the Blues (3-0 to PSG in the final), and after a three-week break came two convincing successes in friendly matches, against Bayer Leverkusen (2-0) and AC Milan (4-1).
Now Enzo Maresca’s men have as their task to continue the positive series in the new Premier League: on their way another London club in splendid form, Crystal Palace fresh from their success in the Community Shield, the English Super Cup, against Liverpool. Among the most anticipated players is striker Joao Pedro, already perfectly integrated into the Blues’ system.
On the other side there’s a lineup that, as demonstrated last year in the FA Cup and in last week’s match against the Reds, is not afraid of anything: the two goalscorers in the regulation fixtures, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr, will most likely be in the starting eleven, difficult instead to see from the 1′ young Justin Devenny, author of the decisive penalty against Liverpool.
Probable formations
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Cole Palmer, Bynoe-Gittens; Joao Pedro. All. Maresca.
CRYSTAL PALACE (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Guehi, Lacroix, Richards; Mitchell, Hughes, Wharton, Munoz; Eze, Sarr; Mateta. All. Glasner.
