New Chelsea boss Graham Potter led the team in the frustrating home draw to RB Salzburg in the Champions League, but this afternoon will be his first taste of Premier League football as a Chelsea manager. His first taste of Premier League football following three-and-a-bit successful seasons at Brighton will be at Crystal Palace – his previous club’s biggest rival.Potter will be eager to pick up the first win of his Chelsea tenure at the noisy Selhurst Park. The west Londoners currently sit seventh in the Premier League and are eight points behind the leaders.The international break will have given the former Brighton boss time to think of a way to get Chelsea back to winning ways. But his today’s opponent Patrick Vieira has built a resilient team that doesn’t give up points without a fight.😬 Graham Potter has never beaten Crystal Palace as a manager in seven attempts, his worst record against a single team #CRYCHE pic.twitter.com/Al1kweISv7— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) September 30, 2022 Since a 2-1 setback in south London in October 2017, the Blues have dominated this fixture, winning nine straight league matches against the Eagles as well as an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley last April. Potter knows it won’t be easy, though.”It’s always a tough game there. The Brighton-Palace connection is an interesting one, but it’s a London derby, so I imagine it will be a fantastic atmosphere. It always is there. It’s always a tough place to go. I think Vieira has done a fantastic job, with how the team plays. They have lots of attacking players so we need to be ready for that.”##NAJAVA_MECA_6686176##This match will also be a chance for Conor Gallagher to return to the place where he starred as Chelsea’s loaned player last season. The English midfielder is yet to recapture that form in a Chelsea shirt. He made 39 appearances and scored 12 goals for the Eagles last season. Since his return to the Blues, the 22-year-old has played six times, including his debut in the Champions League, and Vieira expects him to be warmly welcomed back to south London this afternoon.”I don’t have any doubt about the reception he will receive. It’s been challenging for him because he hasn’t played as much as he was expecting. He has to keep fighting and showing the manager that he wants to get into the team.”EPL IS BACK on @ShowmaxPro for Week NINE action.@soo_ochieng thinks Arsenal will win SMH. Steve: Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City WIN. Chelsea will LOSE or DRAWTeya: Tottenham, Liverpool, Palace and Man United will WIN. https://t.co/2zQrmJPiGR#ShowmaxPro pic.twitter.com/ZYGtXWxamH— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) September 29, 2022 For the visitors, N’Golo Kante and Edouard Mendy are both back in training after their injuries, but this match will likely come too soon for them to be involved. Crystal Palace will be without long-term absentee Nathan Ferguson. Jack Butland and James McArthur also seem unlikely to get fit in time, although defender James Tomkins could return.PREMIER LEAGUE – ROUND 9Saturday14:30: (2.15) Arsenal (3.50) Tottenham (3.60)17:00: (2.35) Southampton (3.35) Everton (3.40)17:00: (3.05) Fulham (3.35) Newcastle (2.50)17:00: (4.80) Crystal Palace (3.50) Chelsea (1.91)17:00: (1.42) Liverpool (4.80) Brighton (8.50)17:00: (3.40) Bournemouth (3.35) Brentford (2.30)19:30: (2.04) West Ham (3.50) Wolverhampton (4.10)Sunday16:00: (1.40) Man.City (5.30) Man.Utd. (8.00)18:30: (2.45) Leeds (3.40) Aston Villa (3.05)Monday22:00: (1.80) Leicester (3.70) Nott.Forest (5.00)***odds are subject to change***
