Everton host West London side Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday for the early kickoff, with David Moyes’s side still unbeaten in the Premier League this season.
Following the decent point away from home last weekend in a 2-2 draw at Hull, the Toffees remain six games unbeaten, with two wins and four draws so far. The Blues currently sit 5th.
Everton’s upcoming fixtures are likely to pose a challenge to the small squad. Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle, facing the Magpies twice in five days, once in the Carabao Cup, means the transition into November will bring a busy schedule.
What the Toffees need now is to find balance. Far too many opportunities were left squandered by the likes of Thierno Barry, who had four big chances missed, as per Sofascore. Perhaps the gaps being left by the midfielders helped Hull grab the point, with players not entirely suited to their role.
The issue of the small squad is only solvable through injury returns, as it is extremely unlike The Friedkin Group will invest any money into this Everton squad following the news the USA-based owners are looking to sell the club to the right buyer.
Issues up top may seem to be a problem for the Toffees, but certainly not for Xabi Alonso’s side. The attacking trio of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro have collectively scored 13 Premier League goals so far this season, with the Spanish manager stating, “They are going to be a very important part to build around them, to build the team with them.”
Last time out, Chelsea made a mockery of Bournemouth in a 5-1 battering from Stamford Bridge. Evanilson’s goal in the second half was purely a consolation, with both Jordan Henderson and Joao Pedro scoring twice, and a goal from Morgan Rogers three minutes in made it a walk in the park for Chelsea.
EVERTON TEAM NEWS
Ukrainian left-back Vitalii Mykolenko is 50/50 for Saturday’s clash following recovery from a minor leg muscle injury received whilst on international duty, and that caused the 27-year-old to miss the fixture at Hull. It may be a last-minute call but, if deemed fit, there is a strong chance Mykolenko will come straight back into the starting eleven.
Moyes’s selection headache may stem from the wingers. Both Johnson and Grealish, the wide players who started against Hull, were both eventually substituted for George and Dibling, respectively. There may be a question of whether the Glaswegian may switch it up.
Tyler Dibling is still waiting for a Premier League start this season, but despite the quality of the opponents awaiting, it would not be a surprise if Moyes stuck to the starters of last week.
EVERTON PREDICTED LINEUP (4-3-2-1)
Pickford; Maitland-Niles, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Armstrong, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall; Johnson, Grealish, Barry
EVERTON VS CHELSEA MATCH DETAILS
Kick-off: 12:30 BST, Saturday 17 October
Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
HOW TO WATCH EVERTON VS CHELSEA
The Premier League clash will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate on HBO Max. For updates, please join the ToffeeWeb Live Forum.