Everton vs. Chelsea: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
After a fortnight off, the Premier League returns this weekend. And Chelsea couldn't have hoped for a tougher fixture.
Goodison Park is always a potential banana skin, but when the game comes laced with so many subplots, it makes it even more so.
Top of that list is the John Stones factor.
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Chelsea chased the Everton defender all summer, and despite the 21-year-old handing in a transfer request, Everton were able to stave off Chelsea's pursuit to keep hold of their man.
The club and its fans are irked, though, so we can expect a hostile reception for Jose Mourinho and his players.
Everton will be sniffing blood on the back of Chelsea's poor start to the season. The champions have won just once, losing their most recent outing 2-1 to Crystal Palace ahead of the international break.
They're not looking as imperious as they were last season, so with the home crowd behind them, Roberto Martinez will be looking for his team to make that advantage count.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Mourinho made it clear he was well aware of what faces Chelsea.
"We are in a title race, we need points," the Chelsea boss explained.
"Every game is difficult, and Everton are no different. We go with the intention to win the match but with lots of respect for a quality opponent."
Mourinho also suggested Chelsea have been unlucky this season, that their results haven't always matched the performance.
"In every match we played better than the result [we got]," he continued. "Even against West Brom where we won, the 3-2 victory makes it look like a very tight match and it wasn’t—the result should have been completely different.
"I say the same for the defeats to Man City and Palace, and for the draw against Swansea.
"The circumstances of the match gave us results worse than the performance, so I am positive. We are strong, we are together. I believe in the players, and they believe in me."
Chelsea can't afford to drop any more points so early in the campaign—they're already eight behind leaders Manchester City—so the players will need to match their manager's words when it comes to belief if they are to come with anything from Goodison.
It's a must-win game.
Match details
Date: Saturday, September 12
Time: 12.45 p.m. BST/7.45 a.m. ET
Venue: Goodison Park, Liverpool
TV Info: BT Sport (UK only)/NBCSN (U.S. only)
Live Stream: BT Sport app or online (UK only)/NBCSN Live Extra (U.S. only)
Opening 2015/16 Premier League results
It's been a far-from-ideal start to their defence of the title with Chelsea taking just four points from a possible 12 in August. Everton haven't fared much better, winning just once and drawing twice.
Both clubs have succumbed to Manchester City's impressive early season form.
| August 8 | Everton 2-2 Watford |
| August 15 | Southampton 0-3 Everton |
| August 23 | Everton 0-2 Manchester City |
| August 29 | Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Everton |
| August 8 | Chelsea 2-2 Swansea City |
| August 16 | Manchester City 3-0 Chelsea |
| August 23 | West Bromwich Albion 2-3 Chelsea |
| August 29 | Chelsea 1-2 Crystal Palace |
Predicted lineups
Mourinho has confirmed Thibaut Courtois is set to miss out through injury along with Oscar. That means the big question surrounding his team selection is focused on Branislav Ivanovic's inclusion.
The Serbian has been dramatically off form this season, with the right side of defence a real concern for Chelsea.
Will Mourinho keep faith with him? Or will he opt to change things by moving Cesar Azpilicueta to right-back and give Baba Rahman his debut on the left?
John Stones is expected to start for the Toffees, while Bryan Oviedo will undergo a late fitness test.
Players to watch
If Cesc Fabregas is given time on the ball in midfield, we will see the best of him.
It's for that reason that the Spaniard hasn't been effective this season. Opposition teams have flooded the central areas to impact Fabregas' game, and it's worked by stopping Chelsea's forward movement.
Without Fabregas releasing any of Eden Hazard, Diego Costa or Pedro, Chelsea struggle to get in behind teams, and as such, their attacking threat becomes void.
The key to getting them on the front foot against teams is by playing through Fabregas, which will be the same on Saturday.
If Chelsea are to win this game, they need a performance from him.
Of all the subplots ahead of this game, the fact Romelu Lukaku will come up against his former employers seems to have escaped under the radar.
The Belgian is a big goal threat, so given the defensive frailties we've seen from Chelsea this season, he should be licking his lips at the thought of exposing them further.
Lukaku is a powerhouse. He will attempt to intimidate the Chelsea defenders by using that physicality, but it may well be his pace that gives him the best opportunity to get on the scoresheet.
We know John Terry and Gary Cahill aren't the quickest, so if both start, expect Lukaku to be playing on the shoulder of his marker to feed off through balls and get in behind.
He has the potential to make it a long afternoon at the back for the Blues.
Prediction
Everton 1-3 Chelsea
Odds
Home win: +333
Away win: -125
Draw: +260
First goalscorer: Eden Hazard (6/1)
*Home/Away win and draw odds via Odds Shark, goalscoring odds via OddsChecker.
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