Crystal
Palace will be without top scorer Yohan Cabaye as they look to do the double
over Chelsea on Super Sunday.
The midfielder is suspended for the match and joins Connor Wickham and
Yannick Bolasie on the sidelines while Palace are also without striker
Patrick Bamford after he decided to cut short his loan and return to
Chelsea.
The Eagles, who beat Chelsea 2-1 in the reverse fixture in August, finished
the year strongly with just one defeat in their last nine Premier League
games.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their previous three matches but drew with both
Watford and Manchester United over the festive period.
They will welcome back Diego Costa after he missed the trip to Old Trafford
through suspension.
Team news
Along with Cabaye, Wickham and Bolasie, Palace are also without injured duo
Bakary Sako and Dwight Gayle.
Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has a minor ankle injury but is expected to be
fit.
Radamel Falcao is definitely out with a recurring thigh problem and his
fellow forward Loic Remy is a doubt because of a calf complaint.
Opta stats
Chelsea have won nine and lost just two of the 13 Premier League meetings
with Crystal Palace.
The last five Premier League meetings between these London rivals have all
been won by a single goal margin, with three wins for the Blues and two for
the Eagles.
Chelsea have scored just seven goals in their last eight Premier League
London derbies. However, the Blues have kept a clean sheet in eight of their
last 11 London derbies in the Premier League.
Alan Pardew has won five of his last eight Premier League matches as a
manager against Chelsea (W5 D0 L3).
Guus Hiddink has lost just one of his 15 Premier League games as manager of
Chelsea (W11 D3 L1), but this came in a London derby away from home (0-1 v
Spurs in March 2009).
Chelsea are winless in their last seven Premier League away games (L4 D3)
and their only league win on the road this season came back in August (3-2
at WBA).
Paul Merson's prediction
For a team of Chelsea's stature, the money, everything, how they can play a
football match without a centre forward like they did against Manchester
United is mind-blowing.
But this should be a good game. Palace are decent at home, but I think they
have missed Yannick Bolasie.
I don't think they are a one-man team, but he does give them that balance,
and without him in the team they have had two blanks.
At the same time, they kept two clean sheets, which is positive. It's a very
hard place for Chelsea to go of course.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)
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