English Premier
2025-04-26 - Chelsea vs Everton
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 26th April 2025 - Kick Off 12:30pm
This game is live on TV
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca will feel his team were the better of the two playing at Craven Cottage last weekend, but Chelsea were trailing and struggling to break down Fulham with time ticking down. The pressure would have really been heaped on the manager if not for two late goals that have helped Chelsea keep pace with those rivals chasing the top five positions in the Premier League table.
Every other team that makes up the current top seven were able to win last weekend, bar Newcastle United, so it was important for Chelsea to keep pace with the side in 6th place after Monday night results. The table is likely to look a little different when this game kicks off after the Manchester City-Aston Villa fixture was pushed forward a few days, but Chelsea's focus has to be on winning out, which would secure them a top five place regardless of other results.
Chelsea have lost 1 of their last 6 games in all competitions and they have won half of those fixtures following the late show at Craven Cottage against West London rivals Fulham. The Blues had won 6 in a row at Stamford Bridge and looked to have built up some real momentum, but Ipswich Town earned a 2-2 draw before Legia Warsaw won 1-2 here.
Malo Gusto picked up an injury last weekend that may rule him out for the remainder of the season. Marc Guiu is expected back before the end of the season, but may have to wait a few more days.
Everton
Late goals were scored at Craven Cottage on Sunday and that followed two late goals at Goodison Park twenty-four hours earlier as Everton were undone by Manchester City. Regardless, it has been a positive couple of months under David Moyes and Everton will be playing Premier League Football in their new Stadium when it opens in August.
That means the focus for the remainder of this campaign will be on assessing players and then having the emotion of closing Goodison Park for the final time. All local eyes will be on Sunday 18th May, but Moyes will want his team to show their character and determination by bouncing back from the loss last time out. The Toffees have a 4-6-6 away record in the top flight this season.
Everton have won 1 of their last 8 games in the Premier League, but they have been a stubborn team to beat and have lost 2 of their last 13 top flight games under their current manager. The only loss in 6 away Premier League games has been at Champions elect Liverpool and Everton had a big impact on the top five race when beating Nottingham Forest 0-1 at the City Ground last time out.
Armando Broja is on loan from Chelsea and so not able to play this weekend. James Tarkowski picked up an injury that will end his season prematurely, while the manager is not taking any chances with Dominic Calvert-Lewin's fitness and he is not expected to be risked now.
Head to Head
The goalless draw at Goodison Park in December has sparked Chelsea's downturn in Premier League form.
Chelsea had drawn consecutive home games with Everton, but ended that run emphatically in a 6-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in April 2024.
Prediction
The fans may arrive at Stamford Bridge with a bit more confidence after the late drama at Craven Cottage, but there is an uneasy connection between those in the stands and Enzo Maresca.
In the last Premier League game here, Maresca almost suggested the fans had gotten the team into a difficult spot by making them play in a manner that the manager is not expecting. Chelsea found themselves 0-2 down against Ipswich Town, but were able to fight back for what may be an important point.
Another tough test is coming up for Chelsea against an Everton team that will want to sit back in their defensive shape and spring out on the counter attack.
Losing James Tarkowski is a blow, but Michael Keane will bring ample experience and the organisation should not change dramatically. Frustrating the hosts will be the plan that David Moyes will hand over to his players and Everton are also very dangerous from set pieces, which is where they may make their biggest impact on the fixture.
Credit has to be given to David Moyes for helping Everton find better goalscoring outcomes and they will give Chelsea problems, especially with all of the pressure on The Blues to secure three points.
They won't worry about tension spilling over from the stands and Everton have shown they will not concede a lot of goals and that makes it tough for Chelsea. For all of the wins they had at Stamford Bridge recently, Chelsea have not blown teams away and only once in the last 5 games played here have seen the home team score more than a solitary goal.
Most will expect Chelsea to find a way to the the important victory, but it feels like that is down to their 'need' and Everton may frustrate as they did to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Backing The Toffees with a start on the Asian Handicap looks the right way to go.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
