Everton v Chelsea predictions: Blues can avenge last term's defeat at Goodison

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Everton v Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Chelsea to win & over 2.5 goals
2pts 13-8 general

Team news

Everton
Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin suffered a setback in training and could be out for around six weeks. Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Andros Townsend and Seamus Coleman are also injured and Salomon Rondon is suspended.

Chelsea
Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly are set to make their Chelsea debuts but latest arrival Marc Cucurella may not be registered in time to feature. Ben Chilwell is fit again but Timo Werner, linked with a move away from the club, is an injury doubt

Match preview

Frank Lampard's Everton narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League last season and their 16th-place finish was greeted with relief rather than jubilation by Toffees fans.

Any Goodison Park goodwill towards Lampard after the end-of-term escape has been replaced by a sense of trepidation about the 2022-23 campaign and the Everton boss is a well-backed favourite to be the first top-flight manager to leave his job.

An opening-weekend clash with his former club Chelsea has the potential to increase the early pressure on Lampard, who struggled to turn things around at Goodison after succeeding Rafael Benitez in January.

The Toffees had taken 19 points from 19 matches under Benitez and 20 from 19 after the Spaniard's departure. That run saw their relegation odds collapse from 15-2 when Lampard took charge to 10-11 following a defeat at Burnley in the first week of April, and fine margins determined their top-flight fate.

Everton's last five league wins were all by a one-goal margin, including surprise 1-0 home victories over Manchester United and Chelsea, and a comeback from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and seal their top-flight status.

Brazil forward Richarlison played a crucial role in their survival, topping their goalscoring and assists chart, and his departure to Tottenham is a blow, particularly given Dominic Calvert-Lewin's injury problems.

The England striker, restricted to 15 league starts in 2021-22, faces another spell on the sidelines after suffering an injury in training and fellow forward Salomon Rondon is suspended, enhancing the chances of an opening win for Thomas Tuchel's Blues.

Chelsea's defeat at Goodison on May 1 was a rare blot on an outstanding away record as their only other defeats on the road came at champions Manchester City and West Ham, who scored a fortunate 87th-minute goal to clinch a 3-2 victory.

Apart from the Everton setback, the Blues won all nine of their away games against bottom-half opponents, also beating Tottenham 3-0 and Arsenal 2-0, and top-class summer signings Kalidou Koulibaly and Raheem Sterling should make their debuts at Goodison.

Sterling should be far more productive in front of goal than Chelsea's wide forwards last term although Tuchel's men regularly cut loose against the division's weaker teams, scoring 51 of their 76 league goals against bottom-half sides.

Despite the off-field drama surrounding Roman Abramovich's sale of the club last term, Chelsea had a solid domestic campaign, finishing third in the league and losing both domestic cup finals on penalties to Liverpool.

There has been money for them to make a winning start at Everton, who have failed to strengthen their underperforming squad, and Chelsea's free-scoring record on the road last term suggests an away win in a match featuring over 2.5 goals is the way to go.

Key stat

Chelsea won nine of their ten away matches against bottom-half teams last season.

Inside info

Everton

Penalty taker Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Assist ace Demarai Gray
Set-piece aerial threat Yerry Mina
Card magnet Allan

Chelsea

Penalty taker Jorginho
Assist ace Mason Mount
Set-piece aerial threat Thiago Silva
Card magnet Marcos Alonso

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