Premier League: Chelsea vs Crystal Palace 17/08/2025

Betting on the Winner

Last season was a very successful one for Chelsea on all fronts. They secured a place in next season’s Champions League through the league, won the Europa Conference League, and capped it off by claiming their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup title – where they dismantled reigning European champions PSG with an emphatic 3–0 victory in the final.

Crystal Palace also had a memorable season, surprising everyone by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final to win the first major trophy in the club’s history. In the Premier League, they played in their usual style, finishing mid-table – far from the relegation zone but also not close to challenging the top spots.

The Blues Start With a Win

Chelsea have made several major signings so far in the transfer window (Gitens, Pedro, Delap), which should help them become even more competitive in the upcoming season. Due to their late finish last season, they didn’t play any preseason friendlies, but they will have a final warm-up match against AC Milan a week before this fixture. In contrast, Crystal Palace have not spent much on transfers (just over 2 million), and the impression is that they haven’t strengthened the squad enough, especially if their best player, Eberechi Eze, ends up leaving the club.

Chelsea arguably have the most favorable schedule in the first few rounds of the Premier League among last season’s top teams, and I expect them to carry their strong late-season form into the start of the new campaign. The odds for a Chelsea win against Palace are a solid 1.60.