Having now succeeded in winning ten consecutive Premier League games, with a 1-0 win against Sunderland on Wednesday night, Chelsea travel to Selhurst Park in search of yet another win and a clean sheet – in the hopes that they can further extend their six-point lead at the top of the table.
A win for Crystal Palace would see them push further away from the relegation zone that has so far personified their season, and relieve some of the pressure on Alan Pardew.
Following a succession of integral contributions from Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas, Antonio Conte now faces a selection dilemma over whether or not to play the Spaniard, with the more defensive minded Nemanja Matic now fully recovered from a muscular injury that kept him out against Manchester City.
Relegation-threatened Crystal Palace were unlucky not to have snatched a point against Manchester United in midweek, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic struck late on to grab a 2-1 win for the Red Devils.
Palace will almost certainly look to catch Chelsea on the break during the match, sitting deep and hoping to exploit on the break.
In terms of injuries coming into the game, influential Belgian winger Eden Hazard could return. Hazard trained this week after missing the win over Sunderland. Chelsea may also be missing John Terry and departing Brazilian midfielder Oscar, through injury and illness respectively.
Crystal Palace meanwhile will be without a host of players, with Bakary Sako, James Tomkins, Steve Mandanda and Loic Remy all out until the new year. Palace also have both Conor Wickham and Papa Souare out as long-term injury concerns.
