Everton vs Chelsea. Premier League.
Goodison ParkAttendance39,356.
Watch Everton vs Chelsea live on Sky Sports Premier League this Sunday
Sunday 17 March 2019 15:16, UK
Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines are both in contention to return for Everton as they welcome Chelsea on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Coleman was absent for last weekend's 3-2 defeat at Newcastle because of illness while Baines has not featured since the start of February because of a back injury.
Everton drew 0-0 with Chelsea in the reverse fixture and Marco Silva would like to see a similar performance this weekend.
He said: "There was good intensity in the game [the 0-0 draw] and good counter-attacks also. It's everything we should do next Sunday.
"They are really strong in that front line, and in the middle zone also, but they are here playing at Goodison. If you have achieved a good result against them away, maybe with confidence we can achieve better at home."
Chelsea cruised into the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday, beating Dynamo Kiev 5-0 and winning the tie 8-0 on aggregate.
They are also the only team in the top-four race to be playing in the Premier League this weekend and could go into fourth - pushing Arsenal and Manchester United down the table - with a win on Sunday.
Elsewhere for Everton, Kurt Zouma will be unavailable to face his parent club while fellow centre-back Phil Jagielka is unlikely to return until after the upcoming international break.
Gonzalo Higuain (illness) could return to contention for Chelsea's Premier League trip to Everton after missing the Europa League win at Dynamo Kiev, during which Olivier Giroud scored a hat-trick.
Sarri, who appears to have no fresh selection issues, is expected to restore the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Jorginho and Eden Hazard to his starting line-up at Goodison Park.
Everton are winless in their last six Premier League meetings with Chelsea (D3 L3), failing to score in each of the last five. They last failed to score in six consecutive league games against an opponent vs Southampton between 1972 and 1979 (a run of seven).
Chelsea are unbeaten in two away Premier League visits to Everton (W1 D1); they haven't managed three without defeat since a run of eight between 2001 and 2008.
The last two Premier League meetings between Everton and Chelsea have finished 0-0. Only four fixtures in the competition's history have finished goalless in three consecutive games (Arsenal vs QPR, Aston Villa vs Man Utd, Charlton vs Middlesbrough and Coventry vs Sheffield Wednesday).
Everton have won just one of their last eight Premier League home games (D3 L4), while the Toffees haven't beaten a 'big six' side in the league since January 2017 (4-0 v Man City), drawing seven and losing 18 since.
Chelsea have lost three of their last seven Premier League games (W3 D1), as many as they had in their first 22 this season (W14 D5 L3).
Everton's last seven Premier League goals at Goodison Park have been scored by different players.
Marco Silva has taken just three points in his last 12 Premier League games against the 'big six' (W0 D3 L9) since a 2-1 win with Watford against Arsenal in October 2017.
Eden Hazard has been directly involved in 48 per cent of Chelsea's 50 Premier League goals this season (13 goals, 11 assists), the highest ratio in the division. The highest percentage of goals a Chelsea player has been involved in over a full Premier League season is 47 per cent, by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (scored or assisted 32 of Chelsea's 68 goals).
At no ground has Chelsea's Eden Hazard played more Premier League games without scoring than he has at Goodison Park (6, level with Selhurst Park).
Everton's Theo Walcott has scored six goals in all competitions against Chelsea, netting at least once in all four grounds he's faced them in (Principality Stadium, Wembley Stadium, Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge). If he plays, this will be his first match against them at Goodison Park.
Chelsea are playing catch-up now after being held at home to Wolves. They've got a real chance of the top four. Am I convinced? I'm not.
I honestly don't know what Everton are about. They're just trying to get to the summer and see if they can keep their fans onside. I've gone for a few draws this week and I don't see this being any different.
Everton will double up on Eden Hazard and try to suffocate the game. Gylfi Sigurdsson might get a goal. They're not expected to win, but if they keep their organisation and get something from it the crowd will go away fairly content.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: Everton 1-1 Chelsea (11/2 with Sky Bet)
