It's been six months since Chelsea last faced Crystal Palace and the circumstances aren't too dissimilar.
Back then the Blues welcomed the Eagles to Stamford Bridge off the back of winning the UEFA Super Cup against Villarreal following 120 minutes of football followed by a penalty shootout.
Now, Chelsea travel to Selhurst Park having lifted the Club World Cup after Kai Havertz's extra time winner.
After a sojourn to Abu Dhabi for seven days, attention returns to the regular season and how successful Thomas Tuchel's side can be in the Premier League.
Despite missing two rounds of Premier League football, the Blues remain in third position behind Liverpool and Manchester City, and with Manchester United leading the pack chasing them.
After completing the £97.5million signing of Romelu Lukaku before taking on Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace side in August, Tuchel was asked whether his side were improved from the season before.
He said: "Maybe not for tomorrow because we feel tomorrow that we need time to be in the best physical shape given our special preparation with three or four groups of players arriving back at different times.
"This situation has not changed and I hope and want that we play with the mentality to hunt Man City, Man United and Liverpool, not from January but from Saturday onwards."
The Blues wasted little time in leading the table in the opening months of the term, before Manchester City found their way to the summit in early December.
The Blues suffered numerous injuries and Covid-19 cases throughout the end of 2021, and were stretched by a rigorous schedule into January. Despite a week off for most of the squad during the first international break of the year, Chelsea did not always look up to speed in their Club World Cup success, with two intense games testing the veracity of the team's fitness.
With different groups at different stages of their return from injury and to fitness, like at the start of the season preparation will be key if Chelsea hope to be the 'hunters and challengers for the three teams that finished above us'.
The Blues are 16 points behind Manchester City with just one game in hand, seven behind Liverpool, and are four points ahead of Manchester United having played one fewer game.
So the extent to which Chelsea are hunting and challenging is variable, but the Blues have lost just three times this season in the league - twice to City and once to fifth-placed West Ham.
After splashing £100million in the transfer market, many put Chelsea among the title-favourites - a claim Tuchel rubbished ahead of the season's opening day.
He said: "Everybody who can read can see we came fourth and we needed some help on the last matchday to arrive in fourth place to make it a successful season.
"When you come fourth, you are not favourite the next season. We have some gaps to close, we let Liverpool pass us in the last match and we have a big gap to close to Manchester United and Manchester City.
"I see the transfer market from City and United so I don't see any reasons why they should be any worse than last season. They improved their squad, they are stable and very very strong teams. No, we are hungry and the challengers for top four first of all and after that we want to challenge everyone for the best possible outcome.
"We are not scared to fight for every title that we compete in, including the cups, Champions League and Premier League. It is not worth breaking our heads about being favourites or not. It is the process that counts and being on our best every single day to be in some part of the game on the same level and improve other parts of our game, do this day in, day out and be ready to compete.
"We know very well that you need luck and momentum and then we will see."
Chelsea have thrived in cup competitions, having already won the Club World Cup, reached the Carabao Cup Final and continued to advance in the Champions League and FA Cup.
They have, however failed to maintain the luck and momentum needed for a true assault on the Premier League.
However, the ambition remains the same as on the eve of the season. The Blues must continue to improve, and be at their best for every game to develop consistency to see the current gap to Man City close.
The Blues have earned two draws against Liverpool this season, and are still in touching distance with 14 games left to play.
Despite a big summer from Manchester United, the Blues look more comfortable, for the most part, on and off the field and will hope to thrive amidst the instability at Old Trafford. Tuchel's lofty expectations of the Red Devils may not have born fruitition, but in spite of their struggles they remain in the mix.
At the outset of the season, Tuchel placed Chelsea as challengers for the top four. For now, he has been proven right.
The German coach also saw his side as hunters, and there's still time to see that come true.
