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Roy Hodgson has admitted Chelsea will not be “scared” when facing his Crystal Palace team on Wednesday night at Stamford Bridge.
The Eagles are looking for their first win in seven games, despite drawing their last two games against Manchester City and Brighton.
Meanwhile, Palace have not beaten Chelsea in their last 10 games and go into this game with Odsoune Edouard, Joel Ward and Sam Johnstone all injured.
While Mauricio Pochettino’s side have also had their fair share of injuries, Hodgson praised his opponents, saying: “When you look at his team, most teams will look at it and think it’s going to be a very difficult game.”
“I don’t think we’ll go to Chelsea with them scared about the team we might come with, but I also think we’ll go there and give them as good a game as we’ve given them.” We have played the last three teams, all of them European.
Roy Hodgson believes Chelsea ‘won’t fear Crystal Palace’ ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night
Palace are winless against Chelsea in their last 10 meetings, with their previous highest number of wins against their London rivals coming in 2017 at Selhurst Park.
Hodgson praised Michael Olise after he set up Jordan Ayew for a goal during the 1-1 draw against Brighton, and the winger also scored against Man City.
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After drawing their last two games, Palace have a chance to move one point behind Chelsea in the Premier League standings in 13th place.
While the Blues will be favorites to win at Stamford Bridge, Hodgson praised several key players, including Michael Olise, who played for Palace last week against Brighton, setting up Jordan Ayew, who gave the Eagles the lead.
Olise also scored a penalty in stoppage time to help salvage a point against Manchester City the previous week.
“We have been blessed with Wilfried (Zaha) over the years but now we have Olise and also Eberechi Eze, two players who can do that job and rock the crowd,” Hodgson said.
“We believe that with guys like Marc (Guehi) and Joachim Andersen, Eze, Olise, (Odsonne) Edouard and (Jean-Philippe) Mateta and what they are doing this year, there is enough threat in our team to get us to where we are.” “We would like to be at the end of the season.”
Palace have been buoyed by the return of Eze, who was recently ruled out of several matches with an ankle injury.
However, they are still without key stars Johnstone and Edouard, and Hodgson is unsure when the pair could return.
“I don’t know,” he noted. I’m sure Johnstone won’t be. Edouard, they (the medical staff) would have to surprise me, but it doesn’t seem like that is the situation at the moment.
“But to be fair at the moment, the players who have arrived are doing quite well, so I don’t think there is any reason to regret the fact that they are not there.
“If they were there, it could mean that Henderson and Mateta didn’t play. At the moment, those two probably deserved to play.”
Meanwhile, Pochettino gave an update on his injury list, ruling out Enzo Fernandez and Lesley Ugochukwu from their clash against Palace, but added that Moisés Caicedo could return after missing their trip to Wolves.
Eberechi Eze recovered from an ankle injury to return against Man City, before also playing against Brighton.
Meanwhile, Pochettino hinted that Moisés Caicedo could return to Chelsea on Wednesday
But the Argentine coach has ruled out Enzo Fernández for the clash against Palace
‘No, Enzo (Fernández), no. But Mo (Caicedo), I hope so. But he has a high fever,” he said before the game.
“Hopefully tomorrow I can train a bit and be ready for Palace.
‘With Lesley (Ugochukwu), we will evaluate him but I think he felt his hamstring again. I said in the press conference that it is important how to reintroduce the players, but because of the problem with Moisés we were forced to play with Lesley.
“It is a difficult situation because now he is a player that we are going to miss, we hope not for long.” “We need all the players.”