Chelsea XI vs Crystal Palace: Confirmed team news, injury latest, and predicted lineup for Premier League game | OneFootball

World champions return to domestic action against familiar foes

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Malik Ouzia

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Enzo Maresca has decisions to make at centre-back ahead of Chelsea’s first match of the new campaign.

The 23-year-old will miss the majority of the 2025-26 season and Maresca has said he would like to see the club react by signing a new defender in response.

That was after they did add to their armoury in defence by agreeing an initial £37million deal to sign Jorrel Hato from Ajax. The youngster can play at left-back or centre-back and has featured in pre-season.

Meanwhile, Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo can stake a claim for game time too, so Maresca has some selection decisions to make. Wesley Fofana could also make a return to Premier League action for the visit of Palace, and he is seen by many as a key defender for the Blues when he is fit.

Chalobah hobbled off against Milan on Sunday but is expected to be available against the Eagles.

In midfield, Maresca has more options now that Dario Essugo and Andrey Santos have joined the club, but he is likely to start Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez next to each other, with Cole Palmer either as a No10 or on the right wing.

Maresca must decide whether the select Joao Pedro or Liam Delap up front. One option would be to play Pedro as a winger, though he has staked a claim to lead the line alone after starring at the Club World Cup and continuing that form in pre-season.

Romeo Lavia has not featured for Chelsea since completing 85 minutes in a round of 16 win over Benfica at the Club World Cup, when he suffered a “small muscle problem”. The severity of that injury is unclear.

Chelsea predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Gittens; Joao Pedro

Doubt: Lavia

Injured: Badiashile, Colwill

Time and date: 2pm BST, Sunday, August 17, 2025

Venue: Stamford Bridge

How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event