Everton
face their second tricky away day in just under a week when they travel to
Chelsea on Sunday in the Premier League.
Ronald Koeman's team grabbed a 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Monday Night
Football while the reigning champions picked up a dramatic and
morale-boosting 2-1 victory at Tottenham.
That three-point haul came after an opening-day reverse at home to Burnley.
Chelsea have not lost consecutive home Premier League games since November
2011 when they were managed by Andre Villas-Boas.
Chelsea won both games against the Toffees last season by a combined 8-0
scoreline, including winning 5-0 at Stamford Bridge in November.
Team news
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas returns from suspension.
But defender Gary Cahill is still banned following his red card against
Burnley on the opening day of the season.
Forward Eden Hazard is due to play for the club's Under-23s on Friday as he
builds up his fitness following a broken ankle.
Everton have doubts over both Idrissa Gueye and Sandro Ramirez and will be
without Davy Klaassen for their trip to Chelsea.
Gueye missed Thursday's win over Hajduk Split as a precaution with a
hamstring problem, while neither striker Sandro (heel) nor midfielder
Klaassen (foot) played either, the latter having already been ruled out of a
return at Stamford Bridge.
Boss Ronald Koeman's midfield options are limited as Morgan Schneiderlin is
suspended, with the France midfielder joining James McCarthy, Ramiro Funes
Mori, Yannick Bolasie (all knee), Seamus Coleman (broken leg) and Ross
Barkley (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Opta stats
Chelsea have won seven of their last 10 Premier League meetings with
Everton, including both in 2016-17 (W7 D1 L2).
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 22 home Premier League games against
Everton since a 1-0 loss in November 1994 (W12 D10). Only against Tottenham
(25) are they on a longer unbeaten Premier League run at Stamford Bridge.
Indeed, this Everton run of 22 games without a victory at Chelsea is their
longest away winless run at another club in the Premier League. Only against
Leeds (36 games between 1953-2001) have they had a longer away run without a
win in league history.
The Toffees have only lost one of their last 11 Premier League games against
the reigning champions (W6 D4); a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in December
2014.
Since the start of 2011, Everton have won just one of their 40 Premier
League away matches at one of the top-six sides in the competition last
season (W1 D14 L25).
Wayne Rooney will be looking to score in three successive Premier League
appearances for the first time since January 2016.
Merson's prediction
Everton were fantastic on Monday until, weirdly, City were reduced to 10
men, after which they were hanging on. With a Europa League tie against
Hajduk Split on Thursday bound to take a lot of Everton, I see Chelsea
following their impressive win at Spurs with another victory, although I
expect it to be close.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (7/1 with Sky Bet)
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