How Chelsea Will Line Up Against Everton in Premier League Clash

Chelsea travel to Everton for the late kick-off on Saturday in their first fixture since their disappointing Super Cup defeat to Bayern Munich late last month.

The annually irritating international break has thrown up some injury concerns for the Blues, with key players picking up knocks while playing for their national sides (reports from the Daily Mail.)

Oscar limped out of training last week following a clash with Hernanes. He sat out Brazil’s 6-0 rout of Australia but played 30 minutes of their 3-1 friendly win over Portugal in Boston. With all the travelling and the wealth of options, the 22-year-old could find himself restricted to a supporting role on Saturday.

Eden Hazard is another worry, as his recurring Achilles problem flared up while he was with the Belgian side. He has been declared fit and will rejoin the squad for training ahead of the match, but with a long season ahead, Mourinho will have to balance the risks of starting him in this match.

New signing Samuel Eto’o left the Cameroon camp after playing 60 minutes of their World Cup qualifier against Libya on Sunday. However, he has taken an active role in training at Cobham this week which surely bodes well for his chances of starting.

Frank Lampard is not among the official injury worries, but the midfielder looked tired as he picked up his 100th England cap against the Ukraine. Lampard has played every minute of Chelsea’s season so far, and the 35-year-old is in need of a rest as the fixtures begin to pile up.

Michael Essien would be the perfect player to replace him, as he is unavailable for the opening Champions League group match on Tuesday September 18.

Anchoring the midfield with Essien would allow Ramires to roam forward and replicate the form he showed for Brazil. He was on the scoresheet against Australia and impressed again against Portugal, starting the move which led to the third goal.

If the Two Amigos are still feeling the ill-effects of their international injuries, Willian could be handed his first start sooner than he would have imagined.

Mourinho recently told Chelsea TV that the midfielder will need “time to express himself” (reported in the Express) but his skills on the left wing make him the closest to a like-for-like replacement for Hazard.

With the Special One preferring Juan Mata on the right of the attack, Andre Schurrle or Kevin de Bruyne will slot into the No. 10 role if Oscar is absent.

Fernando Torres will likely make an appearance from the bench, and the back four will be largely unchanged. Gary Cahill’s solid performances for England should see him start ahead of John Terry, with David Luiz taking over leadership duties from the captain, while Ashley Cole, Branislav Ivanovic and Petr Cech are guaranteed starters.

Whether Mourinho has his full squad available or is forced to make some changes, Chelsea will be in for a tough test. Everton have kept a clean sheet in their last six home Premier League fixtures, and Ivanovic in particular will need to be aware of the twin threats posed by Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar down the left.

The head-to-head record between the two clubs at Goodison Park favours the home side, who have won three of the last six meetings, and Roberto Martinez will be keen to improve on the three draws achieved so far.

You can follow all of the action, and see if my selection was correct, right here on Bleacher Report on Saturday September 14 from 17:30 BST.