Chelsea’s match against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge will be an opportunity to focus solely on their performance on the pitch after a busy summer of transfers. Despite a setback in Switzerland, Chelsea secured their place in the Conference League and are looking to build on their recent win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. With £200 million spent on new signings and over 20 players departing, the club has experienced another tumultuous summer under Todd Boehly’s ownership.
Chelsea’s off-field controversies and criticism of their management have overshadowed their on-pitch performance. A 2-0 home defeat to Manchester City on the opening day highlighted the gap between them and the top teams, despite their heavy spending. However, new manager Enzo Maresca made a statement last Sunday by leading Chelsea to a 6-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. Notably, Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer impressed, earning spots in the England squad for 2018.
Chelsea dominated Wolves early in the second half, overturning a 2-2 halftime score with a hat-trick from Noni Madueke, all set up by Cole Palmer. Despite this impressive performance, there remains uncertainty about Chelsea’s prospects for the season, particularly after their recent defeat to Servette on Thursday.
Chelsea’s 2-1 loss in Geneva was less costly due to their 3-2 aggregate win, but it has raised concerns, particularly about their defense, which has conceded two goals in three of their last four games. Their upcoming fixtures include challenging trips to Kazakhstan to face Astana and a difficult visit to Panathinaikos. They will hope that matches against less formidable opponents like Shamrock Rovers and Noah will help them progress smoothly to the knockout stages while minimizing the impact on their domestic performance.
Last weekend, Chelsea showed no signs of a European hangover, and Enzo Maresca will be hoping for a similar performance against Crystal Palace. Chelsea has an excellent recent record against Palace, having secured a league double over them last season and extending their winning streak to 14 games—13 of which are in the Premier League. Another victory would match the English league record for consecutive wins against a single opponent, currently held by Manchester City over Bournemouth.
