By Matt Smith
The game means very little to the Toffees, who are now mathematically safe and are simply playing to finish as high in the league as possible.
The last time the two sides met, a 0-0 draw was played out at Goodison Park. Everton won’t want to remember their previous trip to Stamford Bridge, with the Merseyside club losing 6-0 under Sean Dyche.
Team news
Maresca‘s Chelsea have received a recent injury boost, with Roméo Lavia slowly making his way back to full fitness. Unfortunately, Malo Gusto has suffered a muscle injury, meaning we could see Reece James come into the starting XI at right-back.
James Tarkowski, who has started every Premier League game for Everton this season, pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury last time out. The English defender missed training this week, so he’s likely to miss out.
Neto the man of the moment
Chelsea’s attacking options haven’t been firing on all cylinders of late, but Pedro Neto was the man to step up last time out. It’s been a difficult season for the Portuguese international, but he struck late on against Fulham to secure the victory in their previous game.
Maresca will be hoping the goal is what he needed to start producing regularly for Chelsea. There’s no doubt Neto has plenty of talent, and the supporters at Stamford Bridge will be looking to see the player who was on fire for Wolves before they signed him.
Tarkowski will be a huge miss
Everton’s defensive solidity has undoubtedly been a key reason why they have comfortably escaped the drop this season. The Toffees have conceded just 1.2 goals per game, with only three sides in the Premier League managing fewer.
The partnership of Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite has been imperative for David Moyes’ side, but that could be broken up on the weekend. With Tarkowski likely unavailable due to injury, it will be interesting to see whether Everton can maintain their stubbornness at the back.
Ndiaye v James
Iliman Ndiaye has been a bright spark in an underwhelming season for Everton, providing a real threat on the left-hand side of attack. His mazy dribbling and eye for goal make him a nightmare to play against, and Reece James could have a difficult afternoon on his hands.
The Chelsea right-back has struggled with fitness issues over the last few years, and he’s going to have to be at 100% to deal with Ndiaye at Stamford Bridge. James hasn’t played a lot of football in recent months, so it could be an area for the Toffees to target.
Prediction
With Everton having little to play for, Chelsea supporters will be hoping Maresca’s side will be more up for this one. The west London club are just three points off fourth, so a win would be crucial in their race for the Champions League. We’re going for a 2-1 victory to Chelsea.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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