Everton striker Lukaku can haunt former side Chelsea

Premier League
Sky Sports 1, 2.05pm Sunday

Chelsea's last away performance in the Premier League was hardly the stuff of champions as they were comprehensively beaten by Manchester United at Old Trafford and the Blues won't want another off day at Everton.

The Toffees have won their last eight home league matches, scoring 29 goals in the process, and none of the top teams have found it easy at Goodison Park this season.

Liverpool needed a last-minute goal to pinch a 1-0 win at Everton, who have drawn at home to Tottenham and Manchester United, beating Arsenal 2-1 and Manchester City 4-0.

Despite the home side's recent dominance at Goodison, Chelsea - who won the reverse fixture 5-0 in November - are evens favourites to take three points and Antonio Conte will have been delighted with his side's response to their defeat in Manchester.

Chelsea were outplayed for large chunks of their FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham yet ended up winning 4-2, inspired by substitute Eden Hazard.

On Tuesday the brilliant Belgian scored in the fifth minute to send the title favourites on their way to a 4-2 home win over Southampton.

Tottenham's narrow win at Crystal Palace the following day cut Chelsea's lead to four points but things still look rosy for Conte's men, whose last four fixtures are home games against Middlesbrough, Watford and Sunderland and a trip to West Brom.

That schedule means that dropped points at Everton wouldn't be a disaster for the leaders and the draw makes some appeal at 11-4.

However, a better bet could be the 5-1 that Everton striker Romelu Lukaku strikes the first blow against his former - and possibly future - club, who haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last 11 league matches.

Lukaku, who is 2-7 to win the Golden Boot, has certainly given Everton season-ticket holders value for money this season. His goalscoring campaign started with a hat-trick at Sunderland in September but 16 of his 21 league goals since then have been scored at home.

He has found the net in each of his last nine outings at Goodison, including a four-goal haul against Bournemouth, and has troubled the strongest teams in the land, scoring at home and away against Manchester City and notching against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Everton's lively attacking midfielders Ross Barkley, Tom Davies and Kevin Mirallas are playing with great confidence on their own patch and they should create opportunities for Lukaku to add to his tally of 31 goals for club and country this season.

Recommendation
R Lukaku first goalscorer
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Team news
Everton
Aaron Lennon, Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori remain sidelined for the Toffees but striker Enner Valencia returns after being ineligible to face his parent club West Ham.

Chelsea
The leaders have no fresh injury concerns but Pedro is likely to start instead of Cesc Fabregas.

Key stat
Everton have won their last eight home league matches, scoring 29 goals.