Paul Merson has provided his forecast for the upcoming match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea, which is set to take place on Monday, February 12, 2024.
The Blues come into the game on the back of a morale-boosting FA Cup victory over Aston Villa, aiming to rebound from recent league setbacks. Chelsea has historically dominated this fixture, boasting 12 consecutive league wins against Palace, marking a challenging record for the Eagles.
Crystal Palace's absence of key creative players such as Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise due to injury adds to their challenges.
Merson predicts a comfortable 3-0 victory for Chelsea, citing the team's youthful lineup, with the average age of the starting XI against Aston Villa being 23.
He acknowledges the inconsistency typical of young squads but highlights Chelsea's potential to excel in cup competitions, as demonstrated by their progress in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
"Chelsea are a really young side - the average age of the starting XI that beat Aston Villa in the cup was 23! This is what you're going to get from a bunch of young guns - inconsistency is guaranteed," the pundit said on Sportskeeda.
"Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise are set to miss out for Palace, so I see nothing but a Chelsea win," he added.
Source: Express UK / Join us on Telegram!/ Follow us on Twitter!