Chelsea enters this contest with their longest unbeaten Premier League run of the campaign, having won three matches and drawn four. However, consistency remains an ongoing issue for Mauricio Pochettino’s men. Last week, they secured a remarkable 4-3 win against Manchester United, but then were held to a 2-2 draw by basement dwellers Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
This inconsistency is evident in their record of scoring and conceding at least twice in each of their last seven competitive matches. No top-flight side has ever achieved this feat in eight consecutive games, and Chelsea will certainly aim to avoid setting such a record. Despite this, the Blues are just five points away from the top six, with a game in hand on sixth-placed United. This should provide them with plenty of motivation to secure a victory in this match.
Chelsea’s Home Advantage and Impressive Record Against Everton
Furthermore, Chelsea can draw confidence from their proud record of not suffering a home league defeat against Everton since 1994. With 15 wins and 13 draws in their home encounters with the Toffees, Chelsea will look to maintain their dominance.
Everton’s Challenges and Recent Performance
On the other hand, Everton faces several challenges as they travel south to Stamford Bridge. The club has been hit with another points deduction for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations, leaving them eight points worse off than they should be based on their results this season. If results go against them in this round, they could potentially find themselves in the bottom three.
Everton’s recent performance has been lackluster, with a 13-game winless league run finally coming to an end in their last match against Burnley, where they secured a 1-0 victory. Throughout the season, they have only managed to secure successive league wins once, with a run of four victories in December. A win against Chelsea would allow them to achieve a league double over the Blues for the first time since the 1978/79 season.
Players to Watch
Keep an eye on Cole Palmer from Chelsea, who is just one assist away from becoming the first player in the club’s history to register double figures for both goals (16) and assists (9) in his first Premier League season. On the Everton side, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been in fine form and is hoping to score in three consecutive league games for the first time since August 2021.
Noteworthy Stat
It’s worth noting that Everton has only scored more than once in one of their last 14 Premier League games, which was a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.