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Key events
For Chelsea, this is Romeo Lavia’s first start since January. It’s a decent fact but nothing compared to the stat that Cole Palmer hasn’t scored for 16 games. With Lavia partnering Enzo Fernandes in central midfield, Moses Caicedo is shunted to right-back, meaning skipper Reece James only starts on the bench.
How weird to list an Everton team without writing the name Tarkowski. A hamstring injury has ruled the defender out for the season and his absence here ends a run of 109 consecutive Premier League games.
Teams
Chelsea: Sanchez, Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Enzo, Madueke, Palmer, Neto, Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Tosin, James, Dewsbury-Hall, George, Sancho, Nkunku.
Everton: Pickford, Patterson, O’Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison, Ndiaye, Beto.
Subs: Virginia, Begovic, Keane, McNeil, Chermiti, Young, Coleman, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire).
Preamble
Chelsea have played 49 matches in all competitions this season and just two have ended goalless. The first was against Everton three days before Christmas, a result which ended an eight-game winning streak and sparked a decline in fortunes. Enzo Maresca’s side lost their next two matches. In truth, that Everton stalemate may well be a turning point from which they’ve never really recovered. Chelsea still have hopes of a top-five finish and a Champions League spot next season but it’s absolutely in the balance. With Liverpool and Arsenal taking up two places, it’s now a five-horse race for the remaining three between Man City (61pts), Nottingham Forest (60), Newcastle (59), Chelsea (57) and Aston Villa (57). Chelsea, Forest and Newcastle have a game in hand following Man City’s dramatic 2-1 in win over Villa in midweek.
For Everton, the David Moyes new manager bounce has gone rather flat. The returning hero led his side to a flurry of points to immediately rule out any fears of relegation but a current thermometer check shows just one league win in eight. A kinder take is that they’ve drawn five of those games and the only defeats were to Liverpool and Manchester City.
If all that suggests Everton might just nick another point here, the last meeting between the pair at Stamford Bridge does not. Rewind to April 2024 and Chelsea thrashed the Toffees 6-0, a young chap called Cole Palmer finishing with four goals after completing a hat-trick inside 30 minutes.
With everything virtually rubber-stamped at the top and bottom of the table, the battle for European spots is where it’s at now. Let’s get this thing on! Kick-off is at 12.30pm.
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