Everton – Chelsea : Preview & Prediction
Everton only secured their Premier League (PL) survival in the penultimate game of last season, and manager Frank Lampard will be desperate to avoid a repeat of that torrid campaign this time around. However, confidence in the team is unlikely to be high ahead of this clash, especially with the Toffees looking so bereft of attacking options. They sold their key player Richarlison to Tottenham in the summer and revealed this week that striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be out for an extended period.
While the odds seem stacked against them, Everton have done well against Chelsea in recent years when playing at home. Each of the PL’s last four meetings at Goodison Park ended in victory for the home side, and they have also limited the London club to just one goal in their last five visits to Goodison Park.
It has been a summer of change for Chelsea, who have once again flexed their financial muscle during club owner Todd Boehly’s first transfer window since taking charge of the club. Raheem Sterling is likely to make his official debut for the Blues here, as is towering defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Coach Thomas Tuchel will be hoping both can play a key role in Chelsea winning their third consecutive season-opener in the PL.
Their last two opening day wins, against Crystal Palace and Brighton, saw the Blues score exactly three goals, something Chelsea also achieved in their final away league game of last PL season at home to Leeds United. That was the last game in a run of eight PL away games in which they found the back of the net on all but one occasion, although that one exception was during their last trip to Goodison Park (losing 1-0).
Key battle: Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has kept five clean sheets in his career against Chelsea. New Chelsea signing Sterling has scored two career goals at Goodison Park and could be dreaming of becoming the first player to secure two hat-tricks on the opening day of a PL campaign after scoring a hat-trick on the opening day in 2019/20.
Weekend stat: Everton are unbeaten in their PL opener in each of the last 10 seasons (G4, E6) — the longest streak in the top flight.
Everton – Chelsea : Betting Tips
Chelsea – Win Odds: 1.65
