Everton v. Chelsea: Lineups, Team News, Match Facts, One-on-ones & Prediction

Chelsea travel away to Goodison Park in a bid to keep their unbeaten record intact, while Everton will look to stretch them as much as they can. Both sides will want to prove that they are title contenders, and will fight to assert their claims. Both teams played Leicester City, with differing results. Everton drew them away, while Chelsea beat them at home, if that can go on to show any semblance of form. Everton have home advantage, but Chelsea play well on the road, and one could expect this to be a real clash.

Chelsea, on one hand, are sweating over the availability of their strikers for today’s clash with Costa’s hamstring injury, while Everton have poached two of Chelsea’s strikers from the last season, who will be looking to exact revenge for the way in which they were maligned, while at Chelsea. Chelsea are used to facing their own players on loan at other clubs, so this would not be too different from those scenarios.

Chelsea will look to keep up their unbeaten record, while Everton will look to display their new-found strength, even if their results have not showcased their efforts to the maximum. Chelsea’s new arrivals – Costa, Courtois and Fabregas – have got off to flying starts, putting everyone’s doubts to rest. For Everton, Lukaku has just returned from a strenuous World Cup, but will want to put in an excellent performance today, against the club that didn’t want him.

If Chelsea win today, they will rubber-stamp their claim as title contenders and show that they can win the crunch have that go on to determine the points table at the end of the season. If Everton win, it will go on to prove that Everton can take on bigger Goliaths and slay them, and will show that they are in contention for a European slot this year around, as well.

Expected teams:

Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard – Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines – McCarthy, Barry – Mirallas, Naismith, McGeady/Osman – Lukaku

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois – Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta/Filipe Luis – Ramires, Matic – Schürrle, Oscar, Hazard – Fabregas

One-on-ones:

Lukaku v. Cahill

Lukaku will have to challenge the defence that kept the most clean sheets last season, from among the Premier League teams. He might not have hit top gear yet, but this is an occasion which he would like to make his own. Cahill will be tasked with stopping and tackling a player who could take the game away from Chelsea, if he gets away from them. Who but Chelsea will know Lukaku’s match-winning ability better?

Chelsea’s midfield and attack v. Howard

Whoever ends up playing for Chelsea, Howard will have to be at the top of his game, making save after save, as Chelsea’s players keep on taking audacious shots on target. The Chelsea’s lineup has players who have all adapted to each other’s style of play and any of them is capable of finding the back of the net, if Howard doesn’t have a good game. Expecting Howard to replicate his game for USA in the World Cup might be too much, but that is the sort of performance that Everton require from him.

Gareth Barry v. Nemanja Matic

Both players are tasked with the same role by their respective clubs – clean up the opposition play with well-made tackles and ensure that the ball keeps moving forward with their team. Both players have proved themselves and are exceptional at their roles, so today would go on to prove which one of them is better than the other – if Barry is the wily old fox he is, or if Matic is the new-age talented player, all set to be the new lynchpin of Chelsea’s midfield.

Match Facts:

• Everton have won four of their last five Barclays Premier League home games against Chelsea.
• Since the 2009-10 season, Chelsea have lost four times to Everton; only Manchester City (5) have beaten them more often in that period.
• Chelsea have not lost their third game of the season since succumbing 2-0 to Middlesbrough in 1995.
• Diego Costa has had two shots on target this season and scored with both.
• Cesc Fabregas has assisted at least one goal in his last four Premier League appearances (five assists overall), a personal record for the Spaniard.
• Eden Hazard has embarked on more dribbles than any other Premier League player this season (22 – eight more than any other player).
• Facts compiled from uk.eurosport.yahoo.com

Prediction

A 2-2 draw.