Chelsea travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday, March 29th to take on Crystal Palace. Chelsea sit at the top of the Premier League table with absolutely no wiggle room, while Crystal Palace are dancing over the fires of relegation. This game is a must win for both teams; the season is winding down and points cannot be spared.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Jose Mourinho will be deploying his classic formation. This arrangement allows for a strong defensive four, a world class midfield, and a lone striker.
Goalkeeper: Petr Čech
The season is far from being won over so there will not be any chances taken. The reliable Czech will make yet another Premier League start.
Right Back: Branislav Ivanovic
The Serbian defender has shown consistency and promise despite his growing age. He can still make runs up the wing and still has the energy to track back and take on the likes of the world’s best wingers.
Center Backs: John Terry and Gary Cahill
It is almost impossible for Mourinho to stray away from his favorite center backs. The English duo make up the most defensively sound pair in the Premier League. Last week’s game against Arsenal was highlighted by the scoring fanfare, not enough credit was given to the back four who kept a clean sheet.
Left Back: Cesar Azpilicueta
Mourinho would have liked to rest his superstar Spaniard but Ashley Cole is still out with injury. No matter, Azpilicueta will surely not disappoint. His ability to cover the wing and pass so well is not overlooked.
Center Defensive Midfielders: Frank Lampard and Nemanja Matic
This game has Lampard’s name written all over it. Crystal Palace lacks a midfielder that can completely control the game and Frank Lampard can utilize this to his advantage. New signing Nemanja Matic will look to do the exact same thing and will simply overpower the Palace midfield.
Left Wing: Eden Hazard
One of the many goal scorers involved in the thrashing, Hazard will most definitely start this game. One of the world’s best players will only sit due to injury or illness.
Center Attacking Midfield: Oscar
After scoring two of the six goals in the bombardment, Oscar will surely be rewarded with another start. It seems as if his recent dip in form is resurfacing.
Right Wing: Mohammed Salah
Having yet to make an impact on the Chelsea squad, he has shown his danger in front of goal by slotting away his very first touches against Arsenal. This will be a huge opportunity for him to show boss Mourinho what he was signed for.
Striker: Fernando Torres
The replacement of Samuel Eto’o early in the Arsenal game did not result in a goal, but he was able to get on the end of an assist. Torres has shown he has the ability to slow the game down and hold the ball, and he can be very useful in certain situations.
