The Blues were defeated at Selhurst Park last season, a John Terry own goal effectively ending their title race.
Chelsea have started this season in style and sit five points clear at the top of the table, as well as remaining the only side unbeaten so far. They also have the league’s top scorer in Diego Costa, the Spaniard having scored nine goals in seven games.
Crystal Palace have started the season slowly, with the managerial swap of Neil Warnock for Tony Pulis bringing some unwanted instability to the club. They have endured an up-and-down start to the season, including a 3-2 win at Everton.
The Eagles, usually so formidable at home, have only picked up four points in front of their own support so far this season, so Chelsea will be looking to take advantage of their opponent’s wobbly form.
Mourinho insists that although they deserved defeat in this fixture last season, times have changed.
‘It was one of those games where we lost and deserved to lose,’ he told Chelsea TV ‘I know why we lost so there was no lesson to be learnt, I accepted it in a normal way and it’s easy for me to analyse those kind of matches.
‘We lost there last season because they were better than us in every aspect of the game.
‘This season we have more personality to impose our game. Sometimes you want to impose your style and sometimes you want to adapt to the opponents’ style. In their style, Palace are better than us so we have to play our own game.’
The Portuguese manager also admitted that there were injury concerns for five of his players for tomorrow’s game.
‘A few [injuries], but I want to wait until tomorrow. We have some problems, yes. Ramires, Drogba, Diego Costa, Schurrle, Mikel, it’s a long list.’