EPL: Moses doubtful for Crystal Palace clash

Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick off: 3PM

Wing-back Victor Moses is a doubt for today’s tie as Chelsea looks to pick up their Premier League title charge upon the resumption of domestic matters when they host Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
The Nigerian international sustained a calf strain, which also forced him out of the friendly involving the Super Eagles against the Teranga Lions of Senegal at The Hive Ground in London.
Antonio Conte’s side go into the game with a 10-point lead at the top of the table, but the Eagles will make the short trip to West London in good form themselves.
The period after the final international break of the season marks the home straight, and for Chelsea it is one that looks destined for them to be crowned champions.
Messrs Guardiola, Klopp, Mourinho and Wenger have all failed to keep up with the relentless pace set by Conte’s side this season, with Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur the only club left with any hope of chasing the champions-elect down.
Even that is a very slim hope, and there have been no signs of Chelsea taking their foot off the pedal – certainly not to the extent where they could surrender their 10-point lead over the final 10 games of the campaign.
Instead, these final months of the season are more likely to be a title procession for the Blues, who go into this weekend’s match on a 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions that includes 10 wins and stretches back to the beginning of January.
Only four teams in the Premier League have won their last three games, and two of them meet today’s with Palace’s trip to the Bridge.
The Eagles have seen a sharp upturn in form just when they needed it most, winning as many points in their last three outings as they had in their previous 19.
A little over a month ago Palace sat joint-bottom of the Premier League table and Sam Allardyce’s proud record of never having been relegated looked to be under serious threat, but they go into today’s sitting 16th and with a four-point gap over the bottom three.
Only Sunderland have conceded the opening goal of a game on more occasions than Palace (19), while Chelsea have broken the deadlock a league-high 22 times this season.

Chelsea Possible XI: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Zouma, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso, Pedro, Costa, Hazard.
Crystal Palace Possible XI: Hennessey, Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, Schlupp, Cabaye, Milivojevic, Zaha, Puncheon, Townsend, Benteke.