Chelsea visits Everton FC on Saturday in a match-up that looks like it could be pretty enthralling. Both sides bring a lot of potent weapons in the final third, but we’re not expecting a goalfest here, because there are also going to be a lot of talented defenders on the pitch too.
The advantage could ultimately go to the London club in this one, as they have a much more fit and deep back line right now. Their defense should, at least in theory, have a better time trying to neutralize the opposing attack, than vice versa.
Chelsea FC at Everton FC FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Dec 12, 8pm GMT, Goodison Park
Team news for both sides: go here
Odds: Everton +320, Chelsea -134, Draw +290
League Position: Everton 9th, 17 points Chelsea 3rd, 22 points
League Form Guide: Everton DLWLL Chelsea WDWWW
Let’s take a look at how Blues boss Frank Lampard could set up his team for this match. It’s festive period fixture congestion time for Chelsea and everyone else who is trying to balance the workload of both domestic and European football.
That means squad rotation, quite often and when you look at who Lampard picked on Tuesday night in UCL play, well, this is our best guess as to who could start in the weekend league fixture. Lampard said on Thursday that Christian Pulisic could have played in midweek, against Krasnodar, but wasn’t risked due to the circumstances surrounding that match.
The American still continues to be a bit hamstrung, so we think he’ll make a substitute appearance in this one.
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction at Everton FC
Mendy; Chilwell, Zouma, Silva, James; Kovacic, Kante, Jorginho; Werner, Havertz, Abraham
Chelsea 2, Everton FC 1
The Blue Merseysiders have been solid at home, but Chelsea are riding positive momentum right now. Meanwhile Everton’s momentum is going in the wrong direction.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.