Season › 2024-25 › News Everton vs Chelsea Lyndon Lloyd 21/12/2024 30comments | Jump to last Match Preview Dwight McNeil is a doubt again with his niggly knee injury Everton play their penultimate home game of 2024 this weekend and it's another difficult assignment against a team vying for the Premier League title. Chelsea under Enzo Maresca have vaulted into second place in the table and no doubt have eyes on the top spot should they claim what would be a rare win at Goodison Park and Liverpool fail to beat Tottenham 2½ hours later. The Toffees have become a tough nut to crack in recent games, however, as Sean Dyche's renewed emphasis on defensive solidity has yielded 4 clean sheets in the last 5 games, but it has come at the expense of the attack where Everton have drawn a blank in 5 of the last 6. Dyche has few ways to change things up in that department, with Dwight McNeil a doubt again with his knee complaint and Armando Broja ineligible to face his parent club, which leaves a choice between Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is goalless since mid-September, and Beto who continues to struggle to impress when handed starting responsibilities. Article continues below video content An unchanged line-up from the side that started against Arsenal last week is the best bet, but with the Blues being at home, the hope is that there will be a bit more attacking intent than was on display at the Emirates in what was an otherwise hugely creditable 0-0 draw. Kick-off: 2:00pm, Sunday 22 December 2024Referee: Chris KavanaghVAR: Graham ScottLast Time: Everton 2 - 0 Chelsea Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Mangala, Harrison, Ndiaye, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin Reader Comments (30) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Pete Gunby 1 Posted 21/12/2024 at 18:13:05 Would be great to cap off a fantastic week with a positive result. Jeff Armstrong 2 Posted 21/12/2024 at 18:43:55 Can only see a win or a draw here for us. Great week topped off by a positive result in front of our new owners UTFT. Derek Knox 3 Posted 21/12/2024 at 18:50:29 Thanks Lyndon, I too hope that we show a bit of attacking intent for a change, it would be a shame to spoil a week of positives, with another negative Dyche dour display.Hope your wrong with your projected line-up, the names beginning with D and H almost scream out playing with 9.5 men. I know we have some injuries but even when we have a full squad the team selections leaves a lot to be desired. Paul Birmingham 4 Posted 21/12/2024 at 18:56:13 Hopefully Everton, will have firm belief and conviction for tomorrow and face Chelsea, with a gamevplan and all the players, do their job.Chelsea, are playing well, but often in the last 15 years they've been in good form, and Everton have beaten them, well at Goodison, and yes there's been a few reverses as well.The great news this week about the new ownership could be capped off nicely with a win.A Blue Christmas week for Evertonians!UTFTs! Paul Hewitt 5 Posted 21/12/2024 at 18:56:24 Results have gone well for us today. A win tomorrow would take some of the pressure off. 2-1 win. David McMullen 6 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:08:10 I'd like to think we can turn up but Chelsea will be tough. Hoping for 3 points. Mike Gaynes 7 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:09:01 So do these two new guys Friedkin and Watts go straight into the 11? Derek Knox 8 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:29:59 Mike G, I hope so, especially if it means, replacing D and H, they're probably shit at football, but so are the other two ! :-) Shaun Parker 9 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:32:19 The predicted line up lacks so much. Harrison has been awful since we signed him. Doucouré, simply has no quality other than he can run forever. Calvert-Lewin is coasting. Branthwaite not back to his best. Ndiaye needs some assistance. We always live in hope, another 0-0 would seem like a job well done. Mike Gaynes 10 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:35:41 DK, I've heard this guy Watts is electrifying. Stu Darlington 11 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:43:26 I think he’s gone ohm for Christmas. Derek Knox 12 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:46:12 M G, admittedly he has power, but also has resistance, if not part of the flow, in his current mode ! :-)Good one Stu ! Mark Wynne 13 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:50:28 Dyche’s last game anyone? Brian Williams 14 Posted 21/12/2024 at 19:56:20 I very much doubt that. Mal van Schaick 15 Posted 21/12/2024 at 20:30:06 The beginning of a new era and the atmosphere will be electric as Evertonians get behind their team, and hopefully get us over the line for 3 points. 2-0 Jim Bennings 16 Posted 21/12/2024 at 20:30:17 Big game as ever.The next four, Man City jokes aside, are really tough games for us.Chelsea, City, Forest and Bournemouth away which is a horrible fixture for us at the best of times.I know we've kept some decent clean sheets lately but getting to Christmas with a embarrassingly modest 3 wins and 14 goals scored is pitiful. Jeff Armstrong 17 Posted 21/12/2024 at 20:44:29 FFS Jim, reality checks are not required.😏 Paul Hewitt 18 Posted 21/12/2024 at 20:50:54 Mark@13. Unfortunately not. Brian Wilkinson 19 Posted 21/12/2024 at 21:00:17 I'm going for a 2-1 Everton win and one of those rare games where Doucoure pops up with a goal.I'm more worried about the Man City game, we always seem to be the team to play, if you have not won for a while, or a player that has a goal less streak in his boots.I fancy us to get a result v Chelsea and Forest, less confident with the City gameThese three games either save Dyche, or he will be on gardening leave, these owners do not mess about.Up the Toffees. Derek Knox 20 Posted 21/12/2024 at 21:07:11 Bloody Hell Brian W, what have you been on?Doucoure with a goal?More chance of Nelson getting both his eye and arm back! :-) Brian Wilkinson 21 Posted 21/12/2024 at 21:25:19 I know, but the bugger's due one, he has a knack of stinking the place out, then popping up with a goal. I think tomorrow might be the day.A bit of wind assistance… :-) Jim Wilson 22 Posted 21/12/2024 at 21:36:43 Gueye with Mangala has made the midfield stronger and barring injury or suspension they must stay together in the team.The team can still be improved by the manager. If Doucoure's form doesn't improve he should be replaced by Ndiaye in the No 10 spot and the problem right flank can be improved by playing Patterson or Seamus there, or even Doucoure in an unorthodox but potentially effective role supporting Dom when we are attacking. Jonathan Oppenheimer 23 Posted 21/12/2024 at 21:48:02 It's the dawn of a new era, and we deserve an end to the season not battling relegation and one that says goodbye to Goodison in style. It all starts tomorrow with an inspired win. Might be Calvert-Lewin, or Doucoure, or Watts, or Michael Keane, or Oumar Niasse. I don't care, just put the ball in the net, and bring us Blues to life across the world. John Raftery 24 Posted 21/12/2024 at 21:48:24 Given Chelsea's great form, this looks like an even tougher game than last week's at Arsenal. But all good runs come to an end sooner or later. Let's hope Chelsea's run ends tomorrow. Rob Hooton 25 Posted 21/12/2024 at 21:53:15 Living down south, quite a few Chelsea fans see us as a bit of a bogey team and we don't have a bad home record against them of late.Hoping there's a positive atmosphere following the takeover confirmation and we put in a decent performance and take at least a point out of the game.Chelsea are in fine form though, so I'm not overly optimistic! Rob Hooton 26 Posted 21/12/2024 at 22:02:57 Brian W, 21 - a bit of wind assistance?I assume the Duke will be having egg and beans on toast for breakfast then, always puts the wind up me! Derek Knox 27 Posted 21/12/2024 at 23:08:20 Derek Thomas 28 Posted 21/12/2024 at 23:44:22 Mark @ 13; I'll volt for that. Keith Slinger 30 Posted 22/12/2024 at 02:05:49 Citeh next week and they are on a run of 9 defeats I 12 matches, que that to end against Everton, hopefully I presume I will be wrong but deffo doubtful etc? Keith Slinger 31 Posted 22/12/2024 at 02:17:18 Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb