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Chelsea v Crystal Palace betting tips: Brave Blues eye third successive FA Cup final

| 16.04.2022

Chelsea v Palace betting tips and odds

The second FA Cup semi-final is an all-London affair as Chelsea and Crystal Palace make the short journey to Wembley on Sunday.

The Blues are still reeling from Tuesday’s heartbreaking Champions League exit at Real Madrid where they led 3-0 with 15 minutes to go only for Rodrygo to force extra time during which Karim Benzema headed in the winner.

Thomas Tuchel’s side are the 4/7 favourites to win inside 90 minutes as we look at some of the markets and odds to help with our Chelsea v Palace betting tips.

Chelsea v Crystal Palace form

Tuchel was unhappy with the performance of the referee at the Bernabeu, but admitted “we are very disappointed and very proud at the same time”.

The defending champions went into the game 3-1 down and Tuchel had virtually written off their chances of advancing to the semi-finals, but Timo Werner finally put the Blues in front after Marcos Alonso had a goal ruled out for handball 12 minutes earlier.

It was cruel on the west Londoners, but the damage was done in the first leg when Benzema bagged a hat-trick which forced Chelsea to go for broke in the Spanish capital.

Tuchel must pick up his players for Sunday as Chelsea look to book their place in the FA Cup final for the third successive season and fifth time in six.

Chelsea returned sluggishly from the international break, losing 4-1 at home to Brentford which they followed four days later with a 3-1 defeat by the 13-time European champions.

However, they bounced back in style with a 6-0 rout of Southampton at St Mary’s where Werner scored twice and hit the woodwork three times.

That performance presaged their superb display in Madrid and they can be backed at 7/5 to win and over 2.5 match goals in what will be their first match against a Premier League team in this competition.

The Blues scored and conceded against Chesterfield, Luton and Plymouth, so we go 12/5 on them winning that way, while they are 17/2 to win from behind as they did against the Hatters (twice) and the Pilgrims.

Palace, 10/1 to win the FA Cup, go into the match in excellent form having been unbeaten in seven matches in all competitions prior to Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester.

The Eagles’ best FA Cup performance came four weeks ago when they smashed Everton 4-0 and they are 5/1 to win on Sunday or 29/10 to take the tie into extra time.

Their task, though, has been made all the more difficult by the absence of key midfielder Conor Gallagher who has been refused permission to face his parent club.

Twenty-two of Palace’s 31 Premier League games have involved three or fewer goals this season, so Chelsea to win in that manner is 6/5.

Only Liverpool and Manchester City (both 18) have kept more clean sheets than Chelsea’s 14 this season and they are 5/2 to win either half, score at least twice and shut out Palace.

Chelsea v Crystal Palace head to head

The west Londoners have a superb recent record against their rivals from south of the river, winning the last nine encounters.

They won both matches without conceding this season as they did against Middlesbrough in the quarter-finals, although it took an 89th-minute winner from Hakim Ziyech to pinch the points in a 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park. We go 29/20 on another win to nil.

Chelsea can also be backed at 4/5 to win or draw, Palace not to score in the first half and under 3.5 goals in the match bearing in mind the south Londoners have failed to score in the opening 45 minutes in the past four meetings with their neighbours.

Chelsea v Crystal Palace team news

Romelu Lukaku will have the chance to prove his fitness in Chelsea training. The Belgium striker has been struggling with Achilles tendon pain but has the chance to return against the Eagles at Wembley.

Callum Hudson-Odoi remains out of action with a back issue, with Ben Chilwell a long-term absentee after knee surgery.

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira will be without eight-goal hitman Gallagher, who is ineligible to face his parent club and saw a written request to Chelsea last week turned down.

The Eagles manager also needs to check on the fitness of Tyrick Mitchell (calf) and Michael Olise (foot), who have only taken part in some training this week.

Full-back Nathan Ferguson (hamstring) remains sidelined while Vieira will need to pick between cup goalkeeper Jack Butland and first-choice Vicente Guaita.

Goalscorer Odds

Chelsea players dominate the first goalscorer market with Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Werner priced at 7/2, 9/2 and 5/1 respectively.

Mount broke the deadlock on Tuesday and scored twice at Southampton, so he can also be backed at 7/4 to find the net any time.

Werner has three goals in his last two games and is 2/1 to score again, while Ziyech is 13/2 to bag the opener once more or 5/2 to breach Palace’s defence.

Alonso drew first blood in a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge in August and is 16/1 to repeat the trick or 6/1 to score, while Christian Pulisic, who struck in the same game, is 11/2 and 23/10 in the two markets.

Wilfried Zaha has bagged four goals in five games for the Eagles and is 13/2 and 5/2, while Mateta is 15/2 and 3/1.

Match Info

Where: Wembley Stadium

When: 16:30, Sunday 17th April

View the latest Premier League odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication

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Author

Warren Barner

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