Chelsea face Crystal Palace in Sunday's Premier League opener at Stamford Bridge, with bookmakers favoring the Blues at 4/7 for victory. The draw is priced at 16/5, while Palace are outsiders at 9/2 for an upset win.
Chelsea's path to fourth place last season proved turbulent, with early promise giving way to inconsistent form before a strong finish secured Champions League football. Early in the campaign, the Blues looked sharp and fluid, rattling in goals and hinting at a push beyond the top four.
The middle stretch exposed some soft spots for Chelsea, with a dip in press intensity and sloppier transitions costing them points in games they had under control. Credit where it's due, the closing weeks brought a practical streak where results became the currency and fourth place was banked.
Palace's cup heroics
Crystal Palace delivered a storyline few neutrals saw coming, lifting the FA Cup before backing it up by edging Liverpool in the Community Shield. Those moments mattered for a club famed for its atmosphere, adding tangible rewards to the noise.
The league table told a plainer tale with Palace finishing 12th, a reminder that knockout highs don't always map onto 38 games. The Eagles' cup success provides optimism, but consistency over a full campaign remains the challenge.
Betting markets
Both teams to score is priced at 4/6, reflecting expectations of an open encounter between the London rivals. Over 2.5 goals carries odds of 8/11, suggesting bookmakers anticipate goalmouth action at Stamford Bridge.
Joao Pedro is available at 15/8 to score anytime, with the forward coming off a strong pre-season. The match kicks off at 2pm BST with Sky Sports providing live coverage from 1pm.
Chelsea could hand competitive debuts to several new signings including Jamie Gittens, Estevao, and Jorrel Hato, according to The Standard. The Blues also lifted the Club World Cup over the summer, defeating Paris Saint-Germain in July.
Sources used: "Mirror", "The Standard" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
