A few weeks ago Chelsea were soaring after a 4-1 win at Villa Park moved them into the Champions League places, but Liam Rosenior is now fighting to keep their season on track after a disappointing week which saw them lose at home to Newcastle in the Premier League and dumped out of Europe by PSG 8-2 on aggregate. It was a humbling defeat that highlighted Chelsea's gap to the continent's elite, just months after they beat the same opponent 3-0 in the Club World Cup final. The Blues are 6th in the league with eight games left to play.
Just five points and two places below them are dark horse European contenders Everton, who have put together a solid season in David Moyes' first full campaign back in charge on Merseyside. The Toffees held league leaders Arsenal for 88 minutes before two late goals, and their defence has been the foundation of their success, currently holding the joint-third best defensive record in the league. Despite having one of the best away records in the league, Everton have struggled in their first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Their 2-0 win against Burnley in their last home game was a welcome victory, as it was their first win there since early December.
It should be a close encounter, with Chelsea looking for a response as they seek to get back into the Champions League. Everton have failed to score against Chelsea in their last four games, but we think that will change against a Blues rearguard lacking players and confidence. That said, David Moyes' side rarely put matches out of reach, only once scoring more than two goals at home this season, and we reckon Chelsea's attacking firepower will beat Jordan Pickford too, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw.
