Chelsea vs Everton 08/03/20

8 March 2020

Chelsea and Everton go head-to-head at Stamford Bridge in a potentially exciting Premier League (PL) showdown, as the hosts look to return the favor to the visiting side for a 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture.

Chelsea’s hopes of securing the top-four finish have dealt a blow recently, as they’ve managed just one win in their last five league matches (D3, L1), allowing Manchester United to reduce the gap to three points. Curiously, all of their three draws during that five-game sequence produced the identical 2-2 scoreline, with the Blues breaking the deadlock in each. Also, Chelsea’s action usually sparks into life after the break, with 76.47% (13) of their last 17 PL goals (scored/conceded) coming in the second half. Although four of their last five league matches have seen both teams on the scoresheet, Chelsea’s recent top-flight home H2H record against Everton promises something of a ‘one-sided affair.’ Indeed, the Pensioners have shut out the Toffees in five of their previous six league H2Hs held here (W4, D1, L1).

Meanwhile, the visitors have gone from back-to-back league victories to two successive matches without a win (D1, L1), with three of those fixtures seeing over 3.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet. Additionally, three of their last four PL games have witnessed both sides score in the first half, with the opening goal across those matches constantly arriving in the first 10 minutes of play. Everton’s biggest problem remains their inability to keep a clean sheet away from home. In fact, they’ve conceded at least one goal in all 13 of their previous PL road trips, allowing two or more on eight of those occasions. The Toffees also tend to switch off late in the game, having conceded at least once in the final 15 minutes of the PL away action played five times already, while scoring in the same period only once.