Chelsea return to Premier League action against Everton, following a disappointing loss against Manchester City in the FA Cup last weekend. Mourinho’s boys face the Toffees in an afternoon fixture this Saturday.
The corresponding fixture of last season ensured Champions League football for the Blues this season as Fernando Torres secured a top 4 finish with his winning goal after Steven Naismith had nullified an early Juan Mata lead. Times have changed rapidly, with Jose Mourinho taking over from the interim Rafa Benitez. Juan Mata has moved to new pastures as well.
This time round, the tie is again very crucial as a favourable result will boost Chelsea’s bid for the Premier League title.
DATE & TIME: February 22, 2014 at 07:45 EST; February 22, 2014 at 12:45 GMT; February 22, 2014 at 13:45 WAT; February 22, 2014 at 14:45 CAT; February 22, 2014 at 15:45 EAT; February 22, 2014 at 18:15 IST.
VENUE: Stamford Bridge, London, England.
TV/STREAMING NEWS: The match will be telecast live on Fox Sports 1/Play in Australia, TSN2 in Canada, ESPN +Sur?+Andina in Colombia, Canal+ Sport in France, Sky Sport 1/HD in Germany, Star Sports 4 & Star Sports HD2 in India, Fox Sports HD in Italy, J Sports 4 in Japan, Astro Supersport in Malaysia, Fox Sports 2 in Netherlands, Canal+ Fútbol HD, GOL T & Gol Stadium in Spain, BBC One & BT Sport 1 in UK and NBCSN in USA.
The match is available online on NBC Sports Live Extra in USA.
You can also catch the game on BBC Radio 5 Live in UK and TalkSport Radio if you’re in Australia, Canada, Malaysia or UK.
CHELSEA FC SQUAD NEWS: Marco van Ginkel is the long-term absentee. John Terry is still doubtful and might face a late fitness test.
Predicted Starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Azpilicueta, Matic, Lampard, Hazard, Oscar, Schúrlle, Torres.
EVERTON FC SQUAD NEWS: Bryan Oviedo, Darron Gibson, Antolin Alcaraz and Arouna Koné will miss the game owing to injuries. Steven Naismith is doubtful as well. Romelu Lukaku, who is nursing an injury, is ineligible.
Predicted Starting XI: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Barkley, Pienaar, Traoré.
REFEREE: Lee Probert.
FORM INDEX: Chelsea – WWDWWD; Everton – DWDLWL
FUN TRIVIA:
- Chelsea are undefeated in their last 19 home matches against Everton in all competitions.
- Everton have won just 1 of their last 6 away games in the Premier League.
- Chelsea have conceded just 21 goals and have the tightest defense in the league.
- There has been eight red cards in all previous encounters between these two teams, with Chelsea receiving 5 and Everton 3.
Chelsea looked lacklustre against Manchester City and West Brom last week, owing to tiredness. Chelsea need to avoid complacency and must be at the top of their game to beat Everton in this crucial game.
I don’t know why you continue to put Luiz in defense: he is etter place is in DM.
Predicted Starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Luiz, Hazard, Oscar, Schúrlle, Torres.
They put Luiz CB because JT is a doubt…
Leave this Luiz thing aside….He costed us Two goals against City. Let him warm the bench!!
I think you don’t realize John Terry is still doubtful to start. If he’s not fit, it is Luiz who will start at the back.
He didn’t cost us two goals he was one of our better defenders
I think luiz has been sloppy in defence lately. Just watch Anichebe’s goal against Chelsea and Nasri’s goal and you could easily notice that if he has been half as good as you claim, he would have prevented them both and kept us in the running.
The everton line up iz nt complete…u wrote 10 players instead of 11. where iz d last player
It is a big match has to win!! Cech- Iva – Cahil – Ter/Luiz – Cole – Rami – Matic – Schurr – Osc – Haz – Torres/ETO!! We hv to revenge what we lost in their home!
i hope 2 see Luiz on beach if nt at Dm…azpilcueta,cahil,ivan,cole in defence
This is counter game we need Luiz in midfield )invanovic,cahil,terry,cole
matic/luiz
hazard,willian,oscar
Torres not Eto
We need Terry in the defence. We cant risk Luiz in the defence because he can be quite unstable especially against so good team like Everton.
This will be a tricky and crucial encounter against Everton, hope for three points though.
The line up should be like this if ‘IM MOURINHO’
CECH
AZPI-CAHIL-IVANOVIC-COLE
DAVID LUIZ-MATIC
WILLIAN-OSCAR-SCHURLE
TORRES
**Hazard to play in the last 20 minute if we still goaless…give Lampard 10 minute to play and also change david luiz with Ramires if we are behind. Hazard have to take a rest before we face the Galasataray in champion league..hazard is fatique….
**3-1 Chelsea win tommorow.
Yeah! Even i opine ivanovic and cahill should be our CB’s.David luiz must partner Matic in central midfield. Come on BLUE LIONS!
If terry fails fitness test then Ivan should be our cb….no Luiz pl…he’s shit at cb and lord at cdm… He’s something like a box to box mid…
Cech
luiz,iva,cahil,azpi
matic\lamp
hazard,oscar,schurl
torres.
so dat luiz can hav d liberty 2 attack & defend.cfc 4 life.
I still believe that Luiz is a top central defender with high quality ball playing skills, he just needs our undivided support to attain greater heights.
John Obi Mikel has nothing to proof to his haters. Jose , Avram , Felipe , Guus, Carlo , Andre , Roberto , Rafa and Jose again, all have one thing in common, they all found him useful and they all used him and won lots of titles except for Avram, Felipe and Andre. Stop hating, the boy is good.
The only thing about Mikel is that he is decent in his natural position compared to Luiz. I think Luiz should be converted to a midfielder, bad news for Brazil though.
Som of dem were interims, and in 2004/5 in joses team was Mikel playing wen the likes of Makelele and Essien were rocking the midfield like rock?. Com again dont throw dust ur own eyes, nd now jose knew that guy wont help him thats why he brought in matic, nd he is showin class in this same midfield.You people dont lyk the truth, at first I hated Gabby buh I hv now realized he was sayin the real truth, that guy slows our game play nd run like a 70yr old woman when the opponent has the,no sliding, I dnt if he doesn’t wanna be dirty on the pitch or some.I know some nigerians are good coz they say the truth about their player,if u love some u check his good and bad side, wise one’s will understand what am saying,nobody hates him,but he somtimes disorganises our midfield. The pressure is on us when he comes in,at the westbrom match the pressure became more and they scored when he came in. man.shitty too we plaued without him two times we won, when he came in this last one bomb.study him Gabby said this I did I hv noticed it very well.
My predicted strting 11 is this- iva, cahill, luiz, azpi,matic, lampard, salah, oscar, hazard, torres. Mou prefers iva in) so that’s where he will be. Terry not yet fit so won’t risk that means luiz in defence. Cole won’t play this game, maybe against galatasaray. Mou believes in salah, even more than schurrle so I believe it will be his first start for chelsea plus he can’t play in champ league so it will compulsory that he and matic play this game. Hazard will start cos mou is not a big fan of experimenting. Torres will start over eto cos eto seems to only lift himself when playing against big teams. That will be the team 2moro.
Luiz and Cahill are doubtful, Torres is pipped to start as Mou wants Eto’o to play against Galatasary as at home you need a striker who can go toe to toe with them not play in between the lines
Cech
Azpilli,Ivan,Terry,Cole
Matic,Lamps
Salah,Oscar,Schurrle
Torres
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