Last December, Everton claimed their third of four straight Premier League victories with a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Goodison Park.
However, as Chelsea’s final Premier League visit to the stadium approaches, Blues manager Sean Dyche faces several selection dilemmas.
Despite a heavy 6-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their most recent encounter, Everton have managed to win five of their last six home games against the London club.
One player who is certain to miss out for Everton is on-loan striker Armando Broja. The Albanian forward, who made his second consecutive substitute appearance in the goalless draw against Arsenal on Saturday, is ineligible to face his parent club.
This leaves Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the likely choice to lead the attack, ahead of Beto, who started in the 4-0 defeat to Manchester United but has since returned to the bench.
Further forward, there is uncertainty about the return of top scorer Dwight McNeil. The Rochdale-born midfielder, who has scored four goals this season, missed the trip to Arsenal due to a knee injury.
McNeil, typically deployed in the ‘number 10’ role, was recently moved to the left wing when Abdoulaye Doucoure filled that central position against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
If McNeil returns to the wing, it could force one of the other wide players out of the lineup. Iliman Ndiaye is expected to retain his place, which puts Jack Harrison’s position at risk after only one game back in the starting XI. Harrison has been competing with fellow loanee Jesper Lindstrom for the spot on the right flank throughout the campaign.
In midfield, Doucoure could shift to a deeper role, but Idrissa Gueye and Orel Mangala have formed a strong partnership in recent games. With Tim Iroegbunam and James Garner still sidelined by injuries, Dyche’s options for midfield changes are limited, unless he decides to promote Harrison Armstrong, who recently scored a hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup.
Defensively, Everton delivered a resolute performance in their draw at the Emirates. Vitalii Mykolenko has been solid at left-back, and while Ashley Young could switch flanks, the veteran player’s strong form makes it unlikely.
Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson are not expected to displace him. At the heart of the defense, James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite were impressive against Arsenal, with Tarkowski delivering one of his best performances of the season.
However, Branthwaite appeared to struggle with a potential injury during the game. If he is unfit, Dyche might turn to Michael Keane or Jake O’Brien to fill the void.
