Chelsea travel to Merseyside this Saturday evening to face Everton in a Premier League clash freighted with significance for both sides’ fading European ambitions, a match overshadowed by a storm of off-pitch discontent at Stamford Bridge.
The encounter at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium—Chelsea’s first visit to the newly-named ground—comes at a critical juncture for Liam Rosenior’s side. Their season has unravelled dramatically in the space of a week, crashing out of the Champions League with an 8-2 aggregate thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain before a damaging 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle United last weekend.
The Stakes in the League
Those results have left Chelsea sixth in the table, with 48 points from 30 games. They now sit one point behind Liverpool and three behind fourth-placed Aston Villa in the race for the expanded Champions League places. England’s position at the top of UEFA’s coefficient rankings means five Premier League teams are set to qualify for Europe’s premier competition next season, a lifeline Chelsea are in danger of missing.
Everton, in eighth with 43 points, represent an unexpected threat to that goal. A victory for Sean Dyche’s side would see them close the gap on Chelsea to just two points, catapulting them into the conversation for European qualification. The Toffees’ form has been inconsistent, however, with their last five league results reading L-W-W-L-L, including a 2-0 loss to Arsenal last time out.
A Daunting Historical Record for Chelsea
History heavily favours the home side in this fixture. Everton have won five of their last seven Premier League matches against Chelsea at Goodison Park, their famous old ground now succeeded by the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The statistics are stark for the visitors: Chelsea have scored only two goals in their last eight top-flight visits to Merseyside and have failed to find the net in each of their last four Premier League meetings with Everton overall.
Chelsea do hold the psychological edge of having won the reverse fixture 2-0 in December, with goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto, and are seeking a first league double over Everton since the 2016/17 season. Their overall Premier League record against the Toffees is strong with 31 wins from 67 meetings, but their performances on Everton’s turf tell a different story, with just 22 wins in 94 matches across all competitions at their former home.
Injury Crisis Deepens Chelsea’s Troubles
Rosenior’s preparations have been hampered by a significant injury list. Defender Trevoh Chalobah is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks with an ankle injury sustained against PSG, while goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen is out for “a matter of weeks” after minor groin surgery. Captain Reece James, who missed the European exit with a hamstring issue, is due for reassessment after the international break with early club assessments suggesting the injury is not serious.
There is better news regarding Malo Gusto, who has returned to training after illness, but doubts remain over Benoît Badiashile, who is also ill. Levi Colwill has returned to team training from an ACL injury but is not yet ready for a first-team return. For Everton, there is potential encouragement with mentions of defenders James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite possibly returning for the clash.
New Managers, Old Problems
The match pits two managers at relatively early stages of their tenures. Liam Rosenior now leads Chelsea after the club dismissed Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the 2023-24 season, despite the Argentine securing European football. Pochettino departed with a Premier League record of 18 wins from 38 games.
Across the dugout, Sean Dyche remains in charge at Everton. Appointed in January 2023, his Premier League record with the club stands at 21 wins, 23 draws and 31 losses. He was briefly dismissed in January 2025 following The Friedkin Group’s takeover of the club but is now back at the helm.
Protests and Ownership Unrest
Beyond the pitch, Chelsea’s campaign is being conducted against a backdrop of growing supporter anger. There is significant discontent among the fanbase towards the club’s ownership, Clearlake Capital and BlueCo, with criticism over a perceived lack of clarity, accountability and engagement. The ownership model has been accused of prioritising long-term potential over immediate competitiveness, leading supporters’ groups to organise protests. In a show of solidarity, fan groups from Strasbourg—the French club also owned by BlueCo—are reportedly planning to join demonstrations in London.
Everton, by contrast, are under the new stability of The Friedkin Group, who completed their takeover in January 2025. Their fans are expected to generate a typically intense atmosphere at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a factor historically leveraged to strong effect in crucial home games.
The match will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports, with coverage beginning at 5pm GMT ahead of a 5:30pm kick-off. Subscribers can also stream the action live via the Sky Go app.
