It will be a battle of the haves and the have nots in the late game on Saturday, when Crystal Palace squares off with Chelsea.
Both sides have money on the mine in this one. It’s all about staying up for Crystal Palace. The club is currently in the relegation zone in 18th place and know the danger of dropping down. Teams that drop down to Championship miss out on millions of pounds because of the Premier League’s television deal and if they don’t make it back up the next year, they are essentially stranded.
Meanwhile, Chelsea is looking for millions of pounds of its own. Chelsea is currently sitting in fifth place in the Premier League table, five points out of fourth place. The top four teams in the Premier League earn spots in the Champions League, and if Chelsea doesn’t win the Champions League there is a serious risk it misses out on the tournament next year.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Stamford Bridge at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 10, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Crystal Palace +931
Chelsea -333
Draw +448
Over/Under 2.5, Over -140
Odds Analysis
Quite simply, Chelsea has not performed well in recent weeks. Chelsea has lost four of its last five in the Premier League, with the one win coming over last place West Brom. Losses to Manchester City and Manchester United are understandable, but the Blues also lost to Watford and Bournemouth over this stretch, helping to move them out of the top four.
Crystal Palace is one point behind Southampton to get clear and would love to get a point on the road in this situation. Palace have not won a game in almost two months and have two draws and four losses over their last four. To be fair, three of those losses came against Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester United, but that still hurts.
In particular, Crystal Palace knows it should have picked up all three points against Manchester United. Palace were up 2-0 in the second half, but blew the lead and allowed United to score in injury time to get the win.
Key Injuries
Crystal Palace have been absolutely snake-bit on the injury front this season. Palace have lost multiple starters to season-ending injuries and a handful will not be ready at the start of next year either. Nine players have already been scratched from this one, but two may be able to go.
It’s unlikely, but midfielder Yohan Cabaye and right back Joel Ward may be able to play in this one. Both players are considered doubtful, but neither has been officially ruled out yet either. That would be a boost to Crystal Palace’s chances.
Meanwhile, Chelsea is relatively healthy. Tiemoue Bakayoko and David Luiz are out, but it looks like everyone else will go. The one concern is midfielder Ross Barkley, who is considered questionable with a hamstring injury.
Player to Watch
Chelsea have had a hard time creating offense lately, so there’s some pressure on Willian to bring the form that he showed against Barcelona to this match. Willian looked great against the Spanish giants in their Champions League tie, creating a number of great chances against their back line.
He has 12 goals and 10 assists for Chelsea this season and has been the team’s most consistent offensive option. It will be up to him to make a difference against Crystal Palace.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Palace will hold for much of the game, but eventually Chelsea will break through. The Blues need this one in a bad way, and Antonio Conte might be out of a job if they don’t get three points here given Roman Abramovich’s temper. Look for Chelsea to pull out a tight one.
English Premier League Odds: Chelsea 1, Crystal Palace 0
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
