Chelsea will be hoping the FA Cup proves to be a welcome distraction when they face Preston in the third round in the late Saturday afternoon kick-off.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men were put through the wringer in the closing stages against Luton in their last Premier League outing before emerging 3-2 winners.
Preston, on the other hand, will be eager to arrest their recent downturn in form which has seen them lose two games on the spin.
Perhaps the Championship is more of a priority for them given they are five points adrift of the play-off spots, even though a solid FA Cup run can boost the coffers of teams beneath the top flight.
Chelsea, meanwhile have been short on numbers in defence, although Ben Chilwell could return to the fold against Preston, and he’s been stepping up his training in recent weeks.
The third round is renowned for providing some giant killings, but will Chelsea fall victim? To set the mood ahead of the Stamford Bridge clash, I have delved into the betting markets and handpicked a couple of tips for you to savour.
Chelsea to sweep through with little fuss
Given Chelsea’s malaise in the Premier League this term, there may be some trepidation going into this game among the Blues faithful.
Indeed, Chelsea have often gone through the motions this term, and there appears to be little fluidity going forward despite the abundance of quality at their disposal.
That said, their credentials in the FA Cup are undeniable, and the West London outfit have won the competition on eight occasions, with only Manchester United (12) and Arsenal (14) experiencing more success.
Also, Chelsea have reached the Final for the past three years on the trot only to slip up in the showpiece game.
Preston, as mentioned, have a few injury concerns. While they have sold out the full allocation of 6,000 tickets set aside for away fans, they may have to contend with an early exit.
The last time Chelsea collided with Preston at Stamford Bridge back in 2002, the hosts eased to a 3-1 win thanks to goals from Eidur Gudjohnsen, Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, and Mikael Forssell.
I expect things to be relatively straightforward for the Blues. I think they will punch their ticket to the fourth round with an accomplished display and clinch a 2-0 win. A tempting 5/1 price is offered by Paddy Power if you fancy pursuing that correct scoreline prediction.
Ice-cold Cole Palmer to steal the show
It feels at times that Cole Palmer has single-handedly carried Chelsea this term.
Despite being just 21, Palmer’s ascent over the past six months or so has been meteoric, and he continues to impress on a weekly basis.
He may not be the finished product, but he can turn games on their head.
Preston could find it tough to contain him, and he appears to have ice running through his veins, judging by his extraordinary composure in front of goal with nine scored in the league this season.
Palmer could well steal the show this weekend and pop up with a double. If you like the sound of that, bet365 has dished up odds of 13/2.
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