Chelsea vs Everton. Premier League.
Stamford BridgeAttendance39,933.
N'Golo Kante and Trevoh Chalobah return to the Chelsea squad while Everton's injury woes have intensified; watch free match highlights on Sky Sports digital platforms and YouTube channel shortly after full-time
Wednesday 15 December 2021 17:31, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Everton in the Premier League on Thursday (kick-off 7.45pm).
N'Golo Kante and Trevoh Chalobah will return from injury when Chelsea host Everton at Stamford Bridge in Thursday's Premier League clash.
Midfielder Kante has been sidelined with knee trouble, while defender Chalobah has shaken off a hamstring problem.
Midfielder Mateo Kovacic should finish isolating due to Covid-19 on Friday, while left-back Ben Chilwell remains out of action due to knee ligament damage.
Chelsea provisional squad: Mendy, Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Christensen, Chalobah, Sarr, Silva, Azpilicueta, James, Alonso, Hudson-Odoi, Kante, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Niguez, Barkley, Ziyech, Mount, Havertz, Werner, Pulisic, Lukaku.
Everton forwards Richarlison (calf) and Andros Townsend (broken foot) are set for weeks on the sidelines.
Left-back Lucas Digne, who was dropped for the last two matches after a fall-out with manager Rafael Benitez, was due to return but reported ill on Wednesday.
Midfielder Allan could come back after missing Sunday's defeat at Crystal Palace with a groin problem, while captain Seamus Coleman's bruised foot will be assessed.
Everton provisional squad: Pickford, Delph, Keane, Holgate, Godfrey, Iwobi, Doucoure, Allan, Gomes, Gray, Rondon, Begovic, Kenny, Branthwaite, Gbamin, Onyango, Simms, Tosun, Gordon, Dobbin.
Follow Chelsea vs Everton in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after full-time.
Not sure I'd want to be lashing into Chelsea here at 2/9 with Sky Bet having watched them stumble their way to a rather fortunate victory over Leeds at the weekend. The Blues have dropped their levels in the last three weeks and it's hard to pinpoint why and how it's happened. Even Thiago Silva looked rushed and sloppy against Leeds. Perhaps it's just a confidence thing and Everton might just be the perfect tonic for the champions of Europe to find it again. Everton are winless in six away league games, losing each of their last four in a row and have a habit under Rafa Benitez of only asking questions of teams when one or two goals behind. They can't afford to do that at Stamford Bridge.
I'm going to swerve the match prices and concentrate on player shots with Antonio Rudiger still overpriced in this particular market.
Rudiger, who loves a strike from distance too, has managed at least a shot on goal in 14 of his last 15 appearances across all competitions and has had two or more shots in six of his last 12 Premier League matches. Everton are notoriously sloppy at defending set-pieces without Yerry Mina. On Sunday, James Tomkins scored the eighth goal Everton have conceded this season from set-pieces. They'll be soaking up pressure and shots should be coming at Jordan Pickford from all angles. Rudiger can fire two of them at 9/4 with Sky Bet.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-0
BETTING ANGLE: Antonio Rudiger to have two or more shots at goal (9/4 with Sky Bet)
