Barclays Premier League as it happened: Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace

That is just about it for our coverage of this one, but we will have confirmation of Chelsea's title success up on IBTimes UK shortly.

Make sure you join us for a blow-by-blow account of Manchester City's visit to Tottenham and White Hart Lane here.

As if it was ever likely to be in any doubt, Chelsea have done it. Mourinho's side have been comfortably the most dominant team in the Premier League this season and they certainly deserve the title after leading the way at the top for most of the year.

Pundits and rival supporters may not always have liked the manner in which they have approached certain games, but the fact that they have been crowned with three games still left to play vindicates that style entirely and quite simply it is up to the rest of the division to find a way to stop them.

Chelsea are champions

Full-time

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace

The full-time whistle is imminent with two minutes of added time having now expired. Filipe Luis comes on for Hazard.

Nervy times for Chelsea as Palace look to shoot from a corner but Zouma deflects Zaha's effort wide after captain Damien Delaney fails to make contact with a swing of his right boot.

That is to be Willian's last contribution of the afternoon and he is replaced by Zouma as Chelsea seek to hold their lead with three holding midfielders now on the pitch.

Another warning for Palace as Willian shows a great change of pace, runs across the edge of the opposition penalty area before firing wide. Kurt Zouma is preparing to enter the fray.

Two chances for Chelsea to put the result beyond any doubt go begging as Fabregas floats a lovely ball into the path of Ivanovic, who squares it for Cahill.

The England centre-back's shot is blocked and Ivanovic loses composure and blasts the rebound skyward.

Drogba then scuffs a disappointing effort wide after Willian had created space on the right-hand side.

Palace have the ball in Chelsea's penalty area but Zaha puts too much on an attempted sliding pass through to Sanogo and the opportunity is wasted. 15 minutes remaining.

A final change for Palace as Yaya Sanogo, on loan from Arsenal, takes to the pitch in place of Puncheon and will presumably partner fellow substitute Murray with Zaha and Bolasie looking to provide ammunition out wide.

Under 25 minutes remaining and it looks like Chelsea are cruising towards the title. Drogba tries to find an opening for a second goal but neither he nor Willian can work the space for a shot and Palace survive.

At the other end, Puncheon shoots wide of Courtois' left-hand post.

Mikel attempts to find Drogba with a long ball over the top of the Palace defence but it runs too quickly for the veteran striker to collect. Fabregas then rolls a ball across the face of the six-yard box but no-one is there to apply the finishing touch.

Ivanovic then shoots wide from distance and Mikel fires at Speroni with a rare attempt on goal after exchanging passes with Drogba.

Palace prepare to make their first substitutions of the afternoon in order to try and get back on a level footing. Martin Kelly is coming on for Mariappa and Murray replaces Mutch.

A slightly hairy moment for Ivanovic as he trips when attempting to deal with a Bolasie cross but the Serbain does enough to clear his lines. A quiet start to the second half with nothing of note having happened in the first ten minutes.

It looks as if Mikel is going to sit in alongside Matic with Fabregas pushed slightly further forward.

One change at half-time for Chelsea as John Obi Mikel replaces Cuadrado. Mourinho looking to protect that slender lead already?

The second 45 is now underway.

That was not the prettiest of halves from Chelsea, but they will not care about that one jot after Hazard's opener and they now have 45 minutes left to negotiate before being confirmed as champions.

Palace have had their moments and Zaha is a threat. They could have had a penalty themselves after Terry's handball and they will no doubt feel aggrieved with Hazard's efforts to win one of his own.

Half-time

Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace

Chelsea take the lead as half-time approaches. Hazard wins a rather soft penalty after running through the middle of McArthur and Mariappa but sends a tame spotkick straight at Speroni.

Luckily for the Belgian, the ball deflects back to him and he is able to head home the rebound to calm a few nerves around Stamford Bridge. That is his 14th Premier League goal of the season.

Goal: Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace (Eden Hazard)

Willian releases Azpilicueta on the left-hand side but he cannot pick out Drogba with a lofted cross and Speroni claims.

Palace then surge forward but Courtois cuts out a ball from Joel Ward.

Frustration for Palace as Terry tries to prevent a break by fouling James McArthur in the centre circle. The ball falls kindly for Yannick Bolasie, but referee Friend fails to play advantage and blows his whistle before the attack can develop further.

Terry joins Dann and Ivanovic on a yellow card.

A period of pressure for Chelsea as Willian sets off down the right-flank and feeds Fabregas. The Spaniard then exchanges a neat one-two with Drogba before finding fresh air as he pulls back to shoot. The ball falls to Azpilicueta but his effort is wild and does not trouble Speroni.

Appeals for a penalty from the travelling supporters behind Courtois' goal as Zaha feeds Puncheon and the former Southampton winger sees a shot partially deflected by Cesar Azpilicueta and up on to the outstretched arm of the sliding Terry.

Nothing given.

Another free-kick in a dangerous position for Chelsea and Drogba's effort is fumbled by Speroni but Palace clear their lines before John Terry, who scored his team's second goal at the King Power Stadium last time out, can capitalise.

Ivanovic now in the book for bringing down the tricky Zaha.

Speroni's handling will be providing a concern for Pardew.

Mutch's tackles have largely been fair so far, but Dann is the first player to have his name taken by referee Kevin Friend after a crude trip on Cuadrado.

From the resulting free-kick, Palace try to pull out of the box and catch Chelsea offside but it does not work and Speroni makes a total hash of his attempted punch.

Luckily, Dann recovers in time to block a shot from Matic and nothing comes of the resulting corner.

Mutch has made a few meaty challenges already here and he commits another on Branislav Ivanovic before angering the Chelsea defender by leaving his leg in afterward right in front of Mourinho's dugout.

The pair exchange a furious chest bump and the game continues.

A long-range effort from Cuadrado just flies over Speroni's crossbar. The Colombian international is then embarrassed by a wonderful piece of skill from Zaha but Palace fail to capitalise.

Approaching the 20-minute mark and it remains 0-0.

Palace are beginning to establish a foothold in this game now after ceding a lot of early possession and Zaha appears to be their main threat.

Another Puncheon corner is head towards goal by Scott Dann but the visitors cannot get a clean shot away.

Wilfried Zaha causing one or two early problems for Palace and he wins a corner off Nemanja Matic from a seemingly offside position after good link-up play with Mutch.

Jason Puncheon's ball is poor, though, and Willian comfortably heads away.

Mariappa fouls Fabregas to give Chelsea a free-kick in a dangerous position, but Ledley blocks Drogba's effort.

A strong but fair challenge from Mutch then leaves Willian in a heap.

An early scare for Palace as Fabregas sends a cross high into the box towards Drogba but the Ivorian just fails to make a connection and Julian Speroni can collect.

We are underway at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are potentially 90 minutes away from winning the Premier League for the first time since they scooped the double under Carlo Ancelotti five years ago.

Can Palace spoil the party?

The previous fixture between these two sides came in October, when Cesc Fabregas notched his first goal since returning to the Premier League from Barcelona and Chelsea survived a late Frazier Campbell goal to win 2-1.

Oscar had put the visitors ahead after just six minutes that day and an early goal would be most welcome for Mourinho and co again, you feel.

Crystal Palace sit comfortably in 12th ahead of this game, but may still have designs on a top-half finish and they currently trail 10th-place Stoke by five points.

Their run-in looks a tad tricky, however, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Swansea the Eagles' remaining fixtures.

Chelsea host Liverpool next week before closing out a dominant season with a trip to West Brom and a home clash with relegation battlers Sunderland.

Kick-off is now just 10 minutes away.

If Chelsea do the unthinkable and lose here, then it will only serve to delay the title party.

Arsenal, who are currently third on 67 points and will have two games in hand after today, travel to Hull tomorrow evening and defeat for the Gunners would put an incredibly unlikely late charge mathematically beyond them.

A draw would also not be enough for the Blues to be crowned champions this afternoon.

Manchester City, meanwhile, are now essentially an irrelevance as even if Chelsea were to lose and they were to beat Tottenham, Manuel Pellegrini's side would still trail the leaders by 10 points with three to play.

Confirmation of that late enforced change for Chelsea.

Breaking

It has yet to be confirmed via the club's official channels, but it seems as if Ramires has been withdrawn from the starting lineup after sustaining an injury during the warm-up. Juan Cuadrado will take his place.

Still no Diego Costa for Chelsea as he recovers from his latest hamstring setback, but Loic Remy is back on the bench to provide cover for Didier Drogba following almost a month out with a calf problem.

Chelsea show one change from the team that won 3-1 at the King Power Stadium on 29 April, with Thibaut Courtois returning in goal at the expense of Petr Cech.

Palace make three alterations, meanwhile, as Adrian Mariappa is selected ahead of Martin Kelly for his first start since the 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on New Year's Day. He has only featured on four occasions as a substitute since Pardew officially took over the reins at Selhurst Park.

Joe Ledley replaces captain Mile Jedinak and Jordon Mutch plays instead of striker Glenn Murray.

Teams

Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Matic, Willian, Fabregas, Hazard, Drogba

Subs: Cech, Filipe Luis, Zouma, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek, Cuadrado, Remy

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Mariappa, Dann, Delaney, Ward, Ledley, McArthur, Puncheon, Mutch, Zaha, Bolasie

Subs: Hennessey, Hangeland, Kelly, Lee, Jedinak, Sanogo, Murray

Hello and welcome to IBTimes UK's latest coverage of the Premier League. We have two games on the slate today, with Tottenham hosting Manchester City at White Hart Lane later this afternoon.

Before that, however, there is the small matter of Chelsea v Crystal Palace from Stamford Bridge.

With the hosts having fought back from a 1-0 deficit to beat in-form Leicester in midweek to extend their lead at the summit of the Premier League to 13 points with just four games remaining, they can wrap up the title today with another victory.

Palace will be no pushovers in this London derby, however, and have been vastly improved since Alan Pardew arrived at the club in early January.

They suffered a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Hull last time out and while they are well clear of the relegation fight, they will hardly be content to see Chelsea achieve such success against them.

Breaking team news and live updates to follow...