Chelsea v Everton

By Steve Wilson
BBC Match of the Day commentator





Everton need French striker Louis Saha to start weighing in with more goals

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea defender David Luiz could be rested after playing two full games for Brazil over the past week.

Fernando Torres serves the second game of his three-match ban while Michael Essien has a long-term knee injury.

Everton’s Tim Cahill will be monitored after an ankle injury forced him to withdraw from the Australian squad last week.

John Heitinga is doubtful after missing the Netherland’s midweek game with a knee injury.

MATCH PREVIEW

The last time Chelsea managed to beat Everton was the FA Cup final in 2009, which says a lot about just how tough a nut Everton are to crack.

The Toffees have drawn their last five Premier League meetings at Stamford Bridge – and also knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup there last season in a dramatic penalty shoot-out after a Leighton Baines equaliser in the last minute of extra time.

Perhaps it also says something about Chelsea that the team which started that cup final back in 2009, with the exception of the injured Michael Essien, could conceivably all start again on Saturday. For the record the Wembley team was: Cech; Bosingwa, Terry, Alex, A Cole; Lampard, Essien, Mikel; Malouda, Drogba, Anelka.

Having had his red card against Liverpool rescinded, Jack Rodwell is available to play his 100th game for Everton, a landmark which can also be reached by Louis Saha, who seems to have settled his differences with the manager.

Getting Saha scoring again is key to Everton, who are averaging just a goal a game this season. Tim Cahill will not need reminding that he has not scored for Everton in 2011, though injury did restrict his opportunities in the second half of last season.

David Moyes, 48, told Football Focus the other week that he still considers himself to be one of the Premier League’s young managers (he’s right, there are 12 older and seven younger). Chelsea’s Andre Villas Boas, who is the youngest by more than four years, turns 34 on Monday. Who said you can’t win anything with kids?

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• These sides met four times last season – Everton took four points out of six in the league meetings and triumphed on penalties in the FA Cup fourth round replay after the sides drew 1-1 at both Goodison Park and Stamford Bridge.
• Everton are unbeaten in their last six league matches against Chelsea, since a 1-0 home defeat in April 2008 when Michael Essien scored the only goal. This is Chelsea’s longest run without a victory against another Premier League club since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003.
• The last five league meetings between the two at Stamford Bridge have ended in draws.

Chelsea

• Chelsea have a 100% record in league matches at Stamford Bridge this season.
• The Blues have scored nine goals in their past two matches – but haven’t kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season.
• Chelsea are chasing their 1,600th win in league football and are four goals shy of 6,000 goals in league football.
• If he plays, John Terry will be making his 350th Premier League appearance for Chelsea – he’ll be the fifth Blues player to reach 350 in the league.

Everton

• Everton have lost their last two league matches – the last time they lost three in a row was in November 2009.
• Tim Howard has faced three penalties in this season’s Premier League – none of the three were converted.
• Phil Jagielka could make his 400th club career start, and also his 150th appearance for Everton. Louis Saha and Jack Rodwell make their 100th appearances for the Toffees. Saha has scored five goals in his last six league matches against Chelsea – the Frenchman has scored against them for Everton, Manchester United and Fulham.
• Three of their six Premier League goals this season have come in the last six minutes of matches, including two in injury time.