Chelsea host Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge as the Blues look to build on their 10 point lead at the top of the table.

Where to Watch

Kick-off is set for 3pm BST. Highlights of the game will be on BBC MOTD on BBC One from 10:30pm BST.

Overview

Chelsea go into the weekend on a 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, including 10 wins, which stretch back to the beginning of January when they lost to Tottenham Hotspur. Since then, they have shown some unassailable form, beating the likes of Arsenal in the league and Manchester United in the FA Cup as they encroach on two domestic trophies and a place in next season's Champions League.

The loss to Tottenham in the beginning of the year was their solitary league defeat in their last 22 outings ,which helped them amass a points tally. The tally threatens to be the highest in league history. They come into the game on the back of a scrappy 2-1 win over Stoke City, as Gary Cahill headed home a 87th minute winner, accentuating the spirit of Champions in the dressing room.

The Blues have the league's joint-best defence and also the second best attack, with Diego Costa being at the epicentre of it all. He needs one more goal to join the distinguished list of people who have scored 50 goals for Chelsea. He has achieved the feat in only 81 games since he moved from Atletico Madrid.

Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce has managed to turn Palace's form upside down, winning their last three games in the league and picking maximum points at a time when they needed it most. They have beaten Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion and Watford in the process, but face a completely different game with Chelsea, who are among the few teams to have won their last three games in the league.

Palace have managed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last three games, an unprecedented record for the Eagles this season. However, if they do manage a shock win over the Blues then it would be the first time they have won four consecutive games in the league since April 2015, when they were flying under Alan Pardew.

Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard has been constantly linked with a move to Real Madrid Getty

What Managers Say

Antonio Conte on Eden Hazard: "In this situation I think the will of the player is very important. If the player is happy and the player knows he will stay in a great team with great ambition, I don't see any problem, even if this club calls itself Real Madrid.

"We are in a great club. We started to build something good for the future, and the ambitions of this club are the same as mine and my players. We stay in the right place if you want to be competitive in the game, be competitive in the future. I hope to play in the Champions League next season.

"I'm sure about this, that [Hazard would] be staying in the right place, in a great club with great ambition. I can say this with 100 percent [confidence]." (via ESPN)

Sam Allardyce: "It's a big challenge because they're top of the league, but it's not an impossible one for us to get a result. We have to play to our best, there's no doubt about that.

"Every man will have to be on top of his form and very aware tactically of what we need to do in and out of possession, plus we'll have to make few mistakes because Chelsea are masters of punishing them.

"We'll be pegged back for periods but if we get opportunities then we have to be very clinical because I don't think there will be too many.

"If we do that, then we could upset the Premier League leaders but it is a big game for us to try and get a point in, or three." (via Evening Standard)

Betting Odds (betfair)

  • Chelsea win: 7/20
  • Draw: 9/2
  • Crystal Palace win: 9

Team News

Chelsea

Possible XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Pedro, Costa, Hazard

Crystal Palace

Possible XI: Hennessey; Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, Schlupp; Cabaye, Milivojevic, Zaha, Puncheon, Townsend; Benteke

Premier League Chelsea FC Crystal Palace FC