Protesting Palace fans are unhappy with the direction the club is heading (Picture: Getty Images)
Football has always been a helter-skelter world but the London derby between Crystal Palace and Chelsea is going to be even wilder than the usual rollercoaster Premier League ride.
The pressure on both Eagles manager Roy Hodgson and Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino is immense and defeat at Selhurst Park will only ramp up the heat. Palace go into the match as huge 15/4 underdogs with Bet Victor and even their most blinkered supporters will find it difficult to make a case for them winning.
Despite beating Sheffield United 3-2, Brentford 1-0 and drawing 1-1 with Brighton in their last three home league games, they have taken just 12 of a possible 33 points from their matches in front of the Holmesdale End this season.
Their performances away from home have also been poor as they mirror the effort at home with three wins, three draws and five defeats to leave the Eagles just five points above the relegation zone.
A 5-0 drubbing at Arsenal and a 4-1 shellacking against the Seagulls on the south coast has only intensified dissatisfaction among hardcore fans who usually back their side to the hilt and Hodgson has admitted the team have lost their support.
There’s no doubt they will be behind their side at kick-off but it could turn ugly if Chelsea reproduce the form which saw them win 3-1 at Aston Villa in the FA Cup last week.
Cole Palmer can pile the pressure on Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park (Picture: Getty Images)
Poch’s side were magnificent that night and will relish facing a Palace side missing star quartet Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Cheick Doucoure and Marc Guehi and the Eagles will be praying their opponents turn in a performance similar to the dismal efforts which saw them crash 4-1 at Liverpool and 4-2 at home to Wolves before the revival at Villa.
There have been exactly five goals in each of Palace’s last three games and four or more goals in four of Chelsea’s last five matches, so neutral fans should be in for a treat with plenty of players getting on the scoresheet.
Unfortunately for the hosts, most of them will be wearing a Chelsea shirt and the Blues are 3/4 to win with numerous firms, over 3.5 goals is 11/5 bet365 and a 3-1 away win is 14/1 with the same firm and William Hill.
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Cole Palmer has scored 14 times for the Blues this season and can chalk up his 11th league goal by opening the scoring at 6/1 with Unibet and BetUK and at any time at 23/10 with the same firms.
• Roy Hodgson is no better than 2/5 with Ladbrokes and Coral to be the next manager to leave his post and could well part company with Crystal Palace if they are soundly beaten by Chelsea. If he goes the board should appoint former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, a 6/1 shout with Bet Victor. If Hodgson is backed to keep Palace in the top flight as he did last season, a fresh face will still be needed in the summer and Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna would be the obvious choice. He’s currently 2/1 with the same firm.
• Are there three teams worse than Crystal Palace in the Premier League? Sheffield United and Burnley look doomed but Everton, Luton and Nottingham Forest will all believe they are better than the Eagles, whose next six matches are Everton (A), Burnley (H), Tottenham (A), Luton (H), Newcastle (H) and Forest (A). It’s make or break time and it looks from here that it’s worth investing in Palace to go down at 15/2 with Sky Bet.
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