Everton vs Chelsea: Opposition Analysis | Time To Banish the Home Hoodoo

Everton's Senegalese striker #10 Iliman Ndiaye (C) falls after colliding with Everton's Portuguese striker #14 Beto (L) and Chelsea's English defender #04 Tosin Adarabioyo (C) during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on December 22, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) | AFP via Getty Images Despite Everton ’s spirited, unfortunate, yet ultimately as-expected defeat against Arsenal last weekend, they managed to retain their eighth-place position in the Premier League table, though several of the chasing pack gained ground on them. Still, the prize of European football – in one form or another – tantalizingly persists, like a mirage of an oasis to a thirsty desert traveller.

Perhaps the manner in which the Blues had a draw snatched away from them late on at the Emirates Stadium, with an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration in what had otherwise been an impeccable display explained David Moyes’ oddly defensive reaction to perfectly regular questioning regarding the absence of both Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski. At least the pair are (apparently) potentially available again — but let’s see how that plays out. The Toffees are back on home turf for today’s early evening visit of Chelsea , having recently ended a miserable stretch of form at Hill Dickinson Stadium with a comfortable 2-0 win over a poor Burnley side.

The Londoners, coming off a few rough results, nevertheless sit sixth in the table and will offer a far sterner test than the hapless Lancastrians. Form Chelsea’s owners BlueCo spent an eye-watering €339m on new talent in the summer, continuing their policy of hoovering up a not insignificant proportion of global footballing prospects, a strategy which continues to generate huge income for the club, as both academy prospects and those senior players deemed surplus to requirements are dispatched, often for hefty fees. It’s a pretty cold and ruthless business, in which players are seen almost entirely as disposable, tradeable assets, but it certainly keeps the cash register ticking over, with the West London outfit raising a staggering €334m in outgoings.

By some margin this season’s most impactful signing has been one-time Blues target João Pedro (Brighton, €63. 7m), clearly an elite forward now at 23. Others, in wingers Alejandro Garnacho ( Manchester United , €46.