Chelsea will look to keep their faint hopes of winning European football alive when they host favorite opponents Everton this evening.
The Blues continued their wildly inconsistent form as they chased down a dramatic win over Manchester United by drawing bottom-of-the-table club Sheffield United last time out.
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Oli McBurnie’s 93rd-minute leveler kept Mauricio Pochettino’s side in ninth, five points behind sixth-placed Man United with a game in hand.
Although derogatory, the draw extended Chelsea’s unbeaten Premier League record to seven games.
In fact, the club’s only defeat in all competitions since the end of January was the 1-0 loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
Everton earned a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Burnley last Saturday, ending their long wait for three points.
Chelsea vs Everton: Having the blues
Former Everton striker Kevin Campbell has told talkSPORT of his concerns about the effect the club’s latest points deduction will have on the team.
The Toffees have had two points deducted for another breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
This adds to their previous deduction of six points, which the Toffees appealed against 10, to further fuel a miserable campaign for Dyche, whose side are now just two points from the relegation zone.
The Merseysiders now return to their bogey home ground, Stamford Bridge, desperate to end their horror run of form in SW6.
Everton are without a win in their last 28 away league matches against Chelsea – only at Leeds (35 between 1946 and 2001) have they had a longer run without an away win in their high profile story.
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- Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 28 Premier League home matches against Everton (W15 D13) since a 1-0 defeat in November 1994. It was their longest unbeaten home run against a team of their history in the elite.
- Only Burnley and Sheffield United (12 each) have failed to score in more Premier League games than Everton this season (11), while only the Blades (30) have scored fewer goals than the Toffees (32 ). After a three-game winning streak in which they scored more than 2 goals in December, Everton have only scored more than once in one of their last 14 Premier League games (2-2 vs. Spurs).
- Chelsea have conceded 52 goals in the Premier League this season, having only scored more in 2015-16 (53), 2019-20 (54) and 1996-97 (55) in 38 seasons of matches in the competition. Their 25 goals conceded at home this season is their second record in a single campaign after 2015-16 (30).
Chelsea vs Everton: Team news
The hosts hope to welcome back Ben Chilwell, but Axel Disasi and Enzo Fernandez are fresh injury doubts, with Raheem Sterling and Robert Sanchez both battling illness.
Chelsea remain without Lesley Ugochukwu, Levi Colwill, Christopher Nkunku, Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana.
For Everton, Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed first-team training on Thursday due to a hamstring scare, but is still ready to start.
James Garner and Arnaut Danjuma are also closing in on a return, as are midfield duo Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye.
Dele Ali and Lewis Dobbin both remain long-term absentees.
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- Following their 2-0 win at Goodison Park in December, Everton are looking to complete their first league double against Chelsea since 1978-79.
- Everton are without a win in their last 28 away league matches against Chelsea – only at Leeds (35 between 1946 and 2001) have they had a longer run without an away win in their high profile story.
- Chelsea have scored and conceded at least twice in each of their last seven matches in all competitions. In the history of English football, no top team has ever achieved such a feat in eight consecutive matches before.
Chelsea vs Everton: What was said?
Pochettino opened the door for Chelsea to sign experienced players this summer after two years of a strict youth policy.
“We can continue on the same path with politics [to sign young players]“said Pochettino.
“But in the team we have Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Bettinelli. Maybe Marcus doesn’t play, but he does a fantastic job helping the young guys.
“We have experienced players in the team. It doesn’t go against the project of having players who help young people to perform, to be professional and to understand what it means to be in the Premier League and to be at Chelsea.
“We need to talk and decide on the strategy for next season.”
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- Everton’s 1-0 win over Burnley last time out ended a 13-game winless run in the Premier League. Each of their last five league wins have been drawn, with the Toffees having won none of their last 12 while conceding at least once (D4 L8).
- After a run of 18 Premier League games without a goal, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored in his last two appearances, with those goals earning Everton three points. He last scored in three consecutive league matches in August 2021.
- Cole Palmer has been involved in 25 goals in his last 22 Premier League games, scoring 16 and assisting nine. One more assist would see him become the first Chelsea player to record double goals and assists in his first Premier League season with the club.
Chelsea vs Everton: How to follow
This Premier League clash will take place on Monday April 15.
Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is scheduled for 8 p.m.
talkSPORT will have live, EXCLUSIVE coverage from west London, presented by Adrian Durham.
The comment comes from Sam Matterface and former England midfielder Danny Murphy.
