Chelsea vs Crystal Palace 2025 – Premier League Opener Preview
Chelsea welcome Crystal Palace to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, August 17, 2025, for the opening weekend of the Premier League 2025–26 season. This London derby isn’t just another fixture—it’s a clash between two sides who ended last season on high notes, making it one of the most anticipated games of the new campaign.
Match Details
- Date: Sunday, August 17, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 2:00 PM BST (British Summer Time)
- Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
- TV Coverage (UK): Sky Sports Premier League & Sky Sports Main Event
- Live Streaming (UK): Sky Go app and website
- Live Blog: Standard Sport’s live blog
How to Watch Worldwide 🌍
- United States: NBC Sports Network, Peacock
- India: Star Sports Select, Disney+ Hotstar
- Europe (selected regions): DAZN
- Australia: Optus Sport
- MENA: beIN Sports
- South-East Asia: SPOTV
Recent Form
- Chelsea – Ended last season as Club World Cup champions, winning four of their last five games. However, inconsistency in the league remains a concern.
- Crystal Palace – Lifted the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025, proving themselves as more than just underdogs. Palace also went unbeaten in their last six matches of the previous campaign.
Team News & Injury Updates
- Chelsea:
- Out: Levi Colwill (ankle), Tosin Adarabioyo (hamstring)
- Key Player to Watch: Cole Palmer – finished last season as Chelsea’s top scorer and playmaker.
- Crystal Palace:
- Out: Eberechi Eze (transfer talks), Marc Guéhi (suspended)
- Key Player to Watch: Michael Olise – Palace’s creative spark who could cause trouble on the wings.
Tactical Battle ⚔️
- Chelsea’s Style: Enzo Maresca is expected to rely on possession football, with a backline that builds from deep.
- Palace’s Style: Oliver Glasner’s side will look to counter swiftly, using pace on the wings and physical presence in midfield.
Key Duel: Enzo Fernández vs Cheick Doucouré in midfield – whoever controls the tempo may decide the match.
Head-to-Head History
- Overall meetings: 67
- Chelsea wins: 38
- Crystal Palace wins: 12
- Draws: 17
- Last season:
- Chelsea 3–1 Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge
- Crystal Palace 1–1 Chelsea at Selhurst Park
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League games against Palace (13 wins, 2 draws).
Prediction
Both teams have attacking firepower but also defensive vulnerabilities. Chelsea’s home advantage could tilt the balance, but Palace’s recent form makes this unpredictable.
👉 Predicted Scoreline: Chelsea 2–1 Crystal Palace
Key Stats 📊
- Chelsea have won their last 10 opening-day home fixtures in the Premier League.
- Crystal Palace have not beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge since 2017.
- Chelsea scored 22 goals against Palace in their last 10 PL meetings.
- Palace registered the most clean sheets outside the top 4 last season.
Why This Match Matters
- For Chelsea: A chance to show consistency from the start and challenge for the top four.
- For Crystal Palace: An opportunity to prove they can be serious European qualification contenders after a strong 2024–25 season.
