Match Preview
Everton play their penultimate home game of 2024 this weekend and it’s another difficult assignment against a team vying for the Premier League title.
Chelsea under Enzo Maresca have vaulted into second place in the table and no doubt have eyes on the top spot should they claim what would be a rare win at Goodison Park and Liverpool fail to beat Tottenham 2½ hours later.
The Toffees have become a tough nut to crack in recent games, however, as Sean Dyche’s renewed emphasis on defensive solidity has yielded 4 clean sheets in the last 5 games, but it has come at the expense of the attack where Everton have drawn a blank in 5 of the last 6.
Dyche has few ways to change things up in that department, with Dwight McNeil a doubt again with his knee complaint and Armando Broja ineligible to face his parent club, which leaves a choice between Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is goalless since mid-September, and Beto who continues to struggle to impress when handed starting responsibilities.
An unchanged line-up from the side that started against Arsenal last week is the best bet, but with the Blues being at home, the hope is that there will be a bit more attacking intent than was on display at the Emirates in what was an otherwise hugely creditable 0-0 draw.
Kick-off: 2:00pm, Sunday 22 December 2024
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
VAR: Graham Scott
Last Time: Everton 2 – 0 Chelsea
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Mangala, Harrison, Ndiaye, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin