With a spring in their step, Chelsea arrive at Selhurst Park on Monday evening, ready for a Premier League London derby date with Crystal Palace.
While the Blues ripped up the form book to overcome Aston Villa 3-1 in Wednesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay, the Eagles' plight continued in a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of long-time rivals Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
Match preview
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The avian battle between the Seagulls and the Eagles saw the hosts soar while the visitors' wings were clipped at the Amex Stadium last weekend, where Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood and Facundo Buonanotte propelled a resurgent Brighton into a 3-0 lead inside just 34 minutes.
A well-taken header by Jean-Philippe Mateta made things interesting heading into the final 20 minutes, but any Palace fans holding on to glimmers of optimism threw those hopes down the drain when Joao Pedro restored Brighton's four-goal advantage on another deflating afternoon for Roy Hodgson and co.
While the result was disheartening enough, Hodgson's decision to bring on an unfit Michael Olise - who lasted just over 10 minutes before injury struck again - led to bewilderment and berating from within the Palace faithful and beyond, but the 76-year-old remains in control of the reins for the time being.
Apparently due to a lack of willing candidates, Hodgson's job is likely safe for the rest of the season, and the 14th-placed Eagles still have a five-point gap to the relegation zone, although their position could become more precarious depending on results on Saturday.
It is not all doom and gloom for the Selhurst Park contingent, though, as they have witnessed their team take seven points from the last nine on offer at home - marching to successive wins over Brentford and Sheffield United with three goals in each contest - but their visitors arrive with a renewed sense of self-assurance.
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Hodgson and his opposite number Mauricio Pochettino have both been feeling the heat over the winter period, as the latter witnessed both Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers hit his side for four before an FA Cup fourth-round replay with Aston Villa, who had just put five past Sheffield United without reply.
The die was seemingly cast from the off, but to the surprise of Blues fans and neutral supporters, Pochettino's men produced one of - if not their best - display of the Argentine's fledgling reign to advance to the fifth round, as Conor Gallagher, Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez tamed the Lions.
Still in contention for an FA Cup and EFL Cup double as they gear up to face Liverpool in the final of the latter tournament later this month, Chelsea's route back into Europe is not entirely closed off, in spite of the fact that they remain in the familiar position of mid-table mediocrity in 11th place.
An unwanted club first could be achieved by Chelsea on Monday night, where the Blues could ship four goals in three successive top-flight games for the first time in the Premier League era, but on the other hand, a desired club record is also up for grabs.
Indeed, the visitors have prevailed in each of their last 12 Premier League matches against Crystal Palace, and should they march to a 13th triumph on the trot here, it would represent Chelsea's longest winning streak against a single opponent in their entire league history.
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Olise was only given the green light to make the bench at the Amex after coming off with an issue against Sheffield United, and Hodgson's bizarre decision to bring the winger on with the game lost backfired horribly; he is now facing several weeks out with that thigh problem.
In addition, ex-Blues defender Marc Guehi was a first-half casualty of that M23 mauling with a knee injury and will also miss out on a reunion with his former club, while Cheick Doucoure (Achilles), Rob Holding (ankle), Eberechi Eze (thigh) and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh) are still out of contention.
Joel Ward (thigh) is in with a slight chance of returning and could be an emergency option at centre-back, but Chris Richards should fill in for Guehi - allowing Adam Wharton to make his full debut after a baptism of fire in Brighton.
As well as an ex-Chelsea defender, a current member of the Blues rearguard - Benoit Badiashile - sustained a groin injury in the FA Cup beating of Aston Villa, and the Frenchman will not be fit to take part in the derby.
However, Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah - the latter of whom is yet to make an appearance this season - have resumed full training at an opportune time, and Pochettino also has the option of recalling 39-year-old Thiago Silva, benched for the Villa Park triumph.
Marc Cucurella (ankle), Wesley Fofana (knee), Reece James (thigh), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring) and Romeo Lavia (thigh) are still unavailable, while goalkeeper Robert Sanchez (knee) has resumed partial team training but is also not quite ready for a competitive comeback.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Munoz, Richards, Andersen, Mitchell; Hughes, Wharton, Lerma; Ayew, Mateta, Schlupp
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Chilwell; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Gallagher, Palmer; Jackson
We say: Crystal Palace 0-2 Chelsea
An emphatic Chelsea success is not always the catalyst for a turnaround in fortunes, but faced with an Olise, Eze and Guehi-less Palace crop, the Blues should experience few roadblocks en route to a much-needed maximum here.
Twelve successive defeats to Chelsea already represents Palace's longest losing run against a single team in league history, and an unlucky number 13 is surely on the menu for Hodgson's injury-hit and morale-depleted side, who have coincidentally failed to keep a clean sheet in 12-straight Premier League affairs.
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Ben Knapton
