PALACE VS CHELSEA
Monday 12th Februrary, 8:00pm
Palace @ 3/1
Draw @ 11/4
Chelsea @ 17/20
view odds
There are now only 15 rounds of fixtures remaining in the 2023/24 Premier League season. And many people would have you believe that this last lap of the track to determine the winner will be a tense, nail-biting race between three teams.
An epic Mexican stand-off for the ages, featuring the elite trio of Liverpool (51pts), Manchester City (49pts), and, suddenly rejuvenated by their big win last weekend, Arsenal (49pts).
Each side has their own specific motivation in this story. Manchester City are simply seeking complete global domination; Liverpool would like to ensnare one last trophy for their departing totem, Jürgen Klopp; and Arsenal would dearly love to show the world that they’re not really massive choke artists.
So is this how the season will close out? Building inexorably towards a thrilling, complex, sub-plot-filled finale? Or is this just speculative fan-fiction created by professional hype-merchants who are firmly in the pocket of Big Football?
Does not a more realistic outcome, perhaps, consist of Manchester City – in their unfeeling, cadaverous, light-blue hue – trudging mercilessly forwards, zombie-like, smothering into oblivion all who are unfortunate enough to find themselves in their path?
With the ominous prongs of Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne now firmly installed back in attack, the signs seem to point to the latter. But all three behemoths are in action this weekend, and as part of duels they will be expected to win at a canter. So let’s just try and keep things exciting for as long as we can, eh lads?
Another set of hype-merchants out there would have you believe that the biggest sporting event of the weekend isn’t even a Premier League fixture. Ha! Nor is it the final of the Asian Cup between Jordan and Qatar. Or even the final of the Africa Cup of Nations between Nigeria and Ivory Coast. Rather, they trumpet, it is Superbowl LVIII – which is set to be contested before 65,000 people at the Allegiant Stadium, in the implausibly-named Las Vegas suburb of Paradise.
Now, I don’t really follow American Football, but, based on the headlines I’ve seen, this year’s two finalists are Taylor Swift and RnB legend Usher. Which does, on paper at least, sound like a potentially intriguing clash of styles.
But are the stakes really higher than in Gameweek 24’s most interesting match-up, which is between Crystal Palace and Chelsea? Come on! It’s 14th v 11th – games don’t get any bigger than this!
Would any sports fan really prefer the glitz and glamour of the Superbowl over a dark, damp Monday night at Selhurst Park? Where half-time entertainment, brought to you in association with Penge Kebabs, will consist of the man himself, Roy Hodgson, reading extracts from his favourite novel – The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa – from an armchair in the centre-circle? I don’t think so.
After impressively thumping Aston Villa in an FA Cup replay in mid-week, Chelsea will be expected to perform to the same level again. But this Chelsea side have soared and slumped before this season. And they have turned so many corners they are now basically back where they started.
The stats support this claim – Mauricio Pochettino’s win/loss ratio is almost identical to Graham Potter’s after the same number of games. And, despite their cup successes, Chelsea remain lodged in the middle of the Premier League table.
One advantage Pochettino has over Roy Hodgson is that he can’t be replaced by the lurking Potter. Or can he? Chelsea are just as hard to predict off the pitch as they are on it. Nevertheless, both managers are currently the top two favourites to next receive the sack.
Presumably the winner will remain in charge when the final whistle blows on Monday night…but for how long? And what fate befalls the loser?
For all your bets on the Premier League, visit our dedicated football betting page.
