EPL: Chelsea target 11th unbeaten run

Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick off: 4PM

Chelsea will be looking to make it 11 games unbeaten at the start of the Premier League season this afternoon when they welcome London rivals Crystal Palace to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues go into the weekend sitting two points adrift of leaders Manchester City and Liverpool, whereas Palace have slipped down to 14th place courtesy of a five-match winless streak.
In the 27-year history of the Premier League, only one manager has enjoyed a longer unbeaten start than Maurizio Sarri, who stands on the verge of a record-equalling feat this weekend.
Some of the world’s greatest ever managers have graced the division, but it is not Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola that Sarri is attempting to emulate on Sunday – rather the lesser-known Frank Clark, who remained unbeaten in his first 11 matches as a Premier League boss in charge of Nottingham Forest in 1994-95.
Those of a Forest or Newcastle United persuasion may remember Clark fondly – he was a European Cup-winning player and managerial successor to Brian Clough, after all – but Sarri will be hopeful of building a legacy which is more widely appreciated after taking to the Premier League so quickly.
The Italian’s unbeaten start is already two matches longer than previous Chelsea bosses Mourinho and Luiz Felipe Scolari, and should he extend it this weekend then it would be only the third time in the club’s history that they have begun a top-flight campaign without losing any of their first 11 games.
Both of the two previous occasions have come in the Premier League era and ended with Chelsea winning the title, although despite such an impressive start they remain third in the standings heading into Sunday’s match.
Manchester City and Liverpool are both also unbeaten after 10 games and sit two points clear of Chelsea, who themselves are two above Arsenal and three above Tottenham Hotspur.
The competition looks fierce, then, but Chelsea have shown plenty of signs that they can seriously challenge for the title this term and made another statement with a 4-0 win away to Burnley last weekend, despite being without star man Eden Hazard.
Things were not so straightforward in midweek when club legend Frank Lampard brought his Derby County side to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea needing two own goals and a couple of other fortunate moments to go their way during their barmy 3-2 victory.
It was a result that made it 15 games unbeaten across all competitions since the Community Shield loss to Man City, and also made it 11 games without defeat at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues will be firm favourites to extend both runs against a Palace side in poor form, but with Liverpool and Man City both in action before them this weekend, the pressure could be on to keep pace with that leading pack by the time they kick off.

Chelsea possible XI: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Barkley, Willian, Morata, Hazard.
Crystal Palace possible XI: Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt, Townsend, Kouyate, Milivojevic, McArthur, Ayew, Zaha.