Chelsea vs Crystal Palace LIVE: Kick-Off Time, Lineups, Stream & Real-Time Score Updates

Chelsea vs Crystal Palace: Premier League curtain-raiser at Stamford Bridge Kick-off details The 2025/26 Premier League season begins for both London rivals on Sunday, 17 August 2025, 14:00 BST (09:00 ET) at Stamford Bridge. Why this match matters • Mauricio Pochettino starts his second full campaign seeking a return to Champions League football. • Oliver Glasner’s first full off-season at Palace brings optimism after last term’s mid-table finish. • London derbies have produced goals: the last five league meetings averaged 3.2 per game. Form guide Chelsea: W-W-W-D-W (pre-season) Crystal Palace: W-D-L-W-W Key storylines 1. Enzo Fernández vs. Eberechi Eze – both creators dictate tempo through central pockets. 2. Chelsea’s new striker João Pedro debuts, while Palace lean on Jean-Philippe Mateta’s late-season scoring run. 3. Set-piece battle: Palace scored 31 % of goals from dead balls last year, highest outside the ‘big six’. Team news Chelsea are without Reece James (hamstring) and Carney Chukwuemeka (knee). Levi Colwill shakes off a knock and should partner Wesley Fofana. New £55 m winger Michael Olise faces his former club after recovering from a thigh injury. Palace miss Michael Olise, sold to Chelsea, but welcome back Marc Guéhi from ankle surgery. Adam Wharton is suspended after a red card in May. Predicted line-ups Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Petrović; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernández, Caicedo; Sterling, Nkunku, Olise; João Pedro. Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Henderson; Ward, Andersen, Guéhi, Mitchell; Lerma, Doucouré, Hughes; Ayew, Mateta, Eze. Tactical preview • Pochettino’s narrow 3-2-5 in possession pulls full-backs high and tucks Sterling/Nkunku into half-spaces. Expect Palace to counter by collapsing into a 4-5-1 mid-block, forcing Chelsea wide. • Glasner’s Eagles press triggers when the ball enters Chelsea’s left channel; watch Ayew hunt Cucurella to spring transitions. • Corners could decide it: Chelsea’s near-post routines yielded six goals after March, while Palace concede an average 0.41 xG per match from corners, fourth worst in 2024/25. Head-to-head snapshot Chelsea have won 13 straight league meetings, their longest active streak against any club, out-scoring Palace 30-7 since 2019. How to watch UK: Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League USA: Peacock (9 a.m. ET) Streaming: official club apps with audio commentary worldwide. Match odds (SkyBet) Chelsea 2/5 | Draw 7/2 | Palace 6/1 – Blues heavy favourites after summer spend. Stat to remember Since 2020, opening-day home sides in London derbies are unbeaten (6 W, 2 D). Prediction Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace – João Pedro to mark his debut, but Eze’s artistry keeps it tense. Stay tuned for live updates, post-match quotes and full statistics immediately after the final whistle.