Everton vs. Chelsea: A Premier League Showdown at Goodison Park

Chelsea travel to Goodison Park this Sunday, eyeing the top spot in the league standings. A victory would push the Blues one point clear of Liverpool before the Reds take the field later in the day. The visitors ride into this fixture on the back of eight straight wins across all competitions but must overcome Everton's robust defensive setup. That’s not a sentence I thought I would write anytime soon after the last couple years of BlueCo ownership, yet here we are. Definitely not in the title race, definitely not. Definitely. Not.

Chelsea's Defensive Dilemma

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confronts a challenging defensive puzzle before the crucial match. Marc Cucurella's suspension, following his red card against Brentford, compounds existing defensive woes. The absence of Wesley Fofana, Reece James, and Benoit Badiashile through injuries has forced tactical adjustments. The ratio of control to chaos still tends to favor the latter a bit too often, and clean sheets remain as elusive as mild takes on Twitter. And Goodison hasn’t exactly been a happy hunting ground in recent years, despite Everton’s struggles.

Malo Gusto will likely start as fullback, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill forming the central defense. Renato Veiga, who shone in recent cup games, might step in at left-back, while Moises Caicedo stands ready as backup defensive cover. But ‘tis the season to believe, so let’s believe!

Offensive Firepower

The Blues' offensive line has found its rhythm, particularly through Cole Palmer's December brilliance. The attacker has struck four goals, landed 11 shots on target, and created 12 scoring opportunities this month. Nicolas Jackson's impact continues with his ninth Premier League goal in the recent 2-1 victory over Brentford. Joao Felix's fitness return adds depth to the attack, alongside Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto. However, Mykhaylo Mudryk's doping charge sidelines him, while Romeo Lavia's hamstring issue makes him doubtful.

Everton's Resolute Defense and Recent Takeover

Sean Dyche's squad enters this match following a resolute 0-0 draw at Arsenal. The Toffees top Europe's elite leagues with six clean sheets since November 1 and maintain an unbeaten run in their last five home fixtures. However, their attack struggles persist, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin enduring an 11-game goalless streak. It’s been a rough few years for The Toffees, one of the Premier League ever-presents, finishing 16th, 17th, and 15th the last three seasons and surviving the drop despite getting to 40 points just once in that time. And it’s not looking much better this year, as they’re on pace only for 38. (Though I suppose they did collect 48 points last season before their points-deductions for financial breaches were taken into account.)

Midfielders James Garner and Timothy Iroegbunam have been ruled out, while Dwight McNeil is questionable. Young striker Youssef Chermiti, who’s been out all season after foot surgery in the summer, is getting close to making his season debut. Chelsea loanee Armando Broja, recently returned from injury himself, is ineligible. After one of the most positive weeks in a long time, a renewed and revived Everton face Chelsea in the first match of the Friedkin Group era. The takeover by the US Group has brought a sense of relief after a tortuous few years. When Farhad Moshiri took over there was excitement, near delirium about what might happen. After eight turbulent years expectations are lower, with the hope that the club will just be operated like a normal business again. To add to a memorable few days the club were also given the keys to Bramley-Moore. For so long the stadium’s construction felt like a financial millstone around the club’s neck. But now there is genuine excitement about the historic move this summer.

Recent History at Goodison Park

Chelsea's track record at Goodison Park raises concerns, with just one win in seven previous league visits and five defeats in their last six trips. While the Blues aim to extend their best league run since Antonio Conte's 2016-17 title-winning campaign, Everton, boosted by recent takeover developments, look to maintain their strong home form. Previously: Just one win at Goodison in our last seven visits, a 1-0 triumph thanks to a Jorginho penalty in 2022. But we smacked them 6-0 at the Bridge back in April, with Cole Palmer getting four by himself, so hopefully we get more of the same.

Match Details and Viewing Information

Date / Time: Sunday, December 22, 2024, 14.00 GMT; 9am EST; 7:30pm IST Venue: Goodison Park, Liverpool Referee: Chris Kavanagh (on pitch); Graham Scott (VAR) Forecast: Rainy, blustery

On TV: none (UK); USA, Universo (USA); Star Sports 3 (India); Canal+ (NGA); elsewhere Streaming: none (UK); NBC Sports Live, Universo Now (USA); Disney+ Hotstar (India); SuperSport GOtv (NGA)

A Clash of Styles and Hopes

This match promises a fascinating clash of styles. Chelsea's free-flowing attack, spearheaded by the in-form Cole Palmer, will test Everton's resolute defense. Everton, invigorated by the recent takeover, will aim to leverage home advantage and their improved defensive solidity to secure a positive result. The sweeping optimism following the takeover shouldn’t detract from the fact Everton face a really stiff test against fine opposition. But if they can get a result it would complete one of the most enjoyable weeks for Evertonians in a long time. The limitations of the squad will remain until at least January, but even then PSR restrains mean they will not be splashing out too much cash. But last weekend’s battling draw at Arsenal may be the template for Sunday’s game against one of the best sides in the league at present. Despite that, the atmosphere at Goodison should be as optimistic as it has been for a very long time. This is only the first step in a long journey, but it feels like the club is finally moving forward again. In contrast to Everton’s years of austerity, Chelsea’s spending spree over the last three years is remarkable, especially given PSR regulations are supposed to limit such sums being splashed out (hough it helps if you can sell hotels to yourself). All those new players failed to reap immediate dividends, but new manager Enzo Maresca seems to have whittled down the bulging squad to a manageable group that is flourishing. They head to Goodison second in the table and could even leapfrog Liverpool with a win for a few hours at least. Central to their success is the incredible Cole Palmer, with City’s decision to sell him looking more baffling by the week. Palmer smashed four goals including a 16-minute hat-trick the last time the two sides met at Stamford Bridge in April, a particularly grim night. Everton though have won five of their last six games at home to the Blues, including a 2-0 victory last season. An utterly disastrous night for everyone involved. James Tarkowski said it was “the most embarrassed I have felt as an individual”. That about sums it up.