In-depth Analysis
As Chelsea continue to stumble, Everton have taken advantage of the opportunity to secure 2 wins in their last 3 league matches. This has given the Merseyside club hope of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, currently trailing The Blues by just 5 points in the standings.
It’s worth noting that while Chelsea are under pressure and fatigued after being eliminated by PSG in the prestigious Champions League midweek, David Moyes’ side have had more time to prepare for the upcoming match, entering it on the back of a solid home victory over Burnley (they lost 0-2 to Arsenal in the previous round).
Moreover, after the 2-0 win against Burnley earlier this month, Everton are aiming to achieve back-to-back home wins in the Premier League – something they last managed in the 2014/15 season (April).
On the other hand, Chelsea have shown a poor record away against Everton, losing 2 of their last 3 Premier League meetings (winning 1), which equals the total losses in their previous 13 encounters (5 wins, 6 draws). Although they kept a clean sheet in Liam Rosenior’s first Premier League game (2-0 vs Brentford), The Blues have conceded in each of their last 8 matches.
Chelsea’s instability this season is partly due to constant changes in their lineup. Specifically, The Blues have made 96 starting XI changes in the Premier League, the most in the league and even more than last season (95). In comparison, only Crystal Palace (48) and Nottingham (46) have made fewer changes than Everton (50), who have also used the fewest different players (22), highlighting their relative consistency.