The “Glasner Effect” has turned Palace into one of the most physically demanding teams to play against. They operate in a high-intensity 3-4-2-1, relying on wing-backs Munoz and Mitchell to provide the width while Eze and Kamada look to create chaos in the pockets.

Palace fans love a home derby, and Selhurst Park will be rocking. They aren’t interested in possession; they want to win the ball back in the middle third and hit Chelsea’s high line with direct runners. When they get it right, they can blow teams away in ten-minute bursts.

The theme tonight? Relentless pressure. Palace will try to ruffle Chelsea’s ball-playing defenders early on. If they can force an error in the first twenty minutes, the noise in the Holmesdale End will do the rest.

Maresca-ball has finally found its rhythm. Chelsea are controlling games with an inverted full-back system that allows them to dominate the center of the pitch. Cole Palmer is playing like a man possessed, and the pace of Madueke and Neto on the flanks is terrifying for any back three.

Tactically, Chelsea want to draw Palace out. They invite the press, hoping to skip through it and find Palmer in space. Their transition defense has improved significantly, but they still look a little shaky when dealing with direct, physical long balls—something Palace specialize in.

Casual vibe check: Chelsea are playing with swagger right now. They don’t mind the hostile atmosphere; they enjoy the control. Expect them to try and slow the game down, essentially playing keep-away until the Palace press tires out.