Chelsea and Everton both looking to reverse a few streaks at Goodison Park

A win will end a few unpleasant mini-streaks Chelsea currently have going with Everton. It will also maintain Everton’s margin over West Ham United as the most losing Premier League squad.

Chelsea head to Goodison Park hoping to avoid dropping points in three consecutive Premier League games against Everton since 2011. For nearly two full years – from December 2009 to October 2011 – the Blues lost twice and drew twice against Everton in the Premier League, interspersed with a draw and subsequent loss to the Toffees in the FA Cup.

That was the only such run of form between these two teams in the Roman Abramovich era. Throughout the 90s, when the two clubs were more evenly matched, their record reflected the parity. But even in the most middling stretches, Chelsea still managed to score.

The Blues’ last goal against Everton came in matchweek three of the 2017/18 season. Only one other time since 1964/65 (the extent of TransferMarkt’s records between these teams) have Chelsea had two consecutive goalless draws against Everton. They have never had three, in any combination of competitions.

Everton have had only two scoreless draws this season: first Chelsea, and then Liverpool earlier this month. Those results are even greater outliers than they seem, comprising two of the four points Everton have taken off of top-half teams this season. Everton, therefore, have not won against a top half team in 2018/19.

Perhaps the infusion of youth that powered the drubbing of Dynamo Kyiv could carry over to a similar result against the hapless Toffees.

Chelsea’s most recent goals against Everton came with a large youth presence. Prior to the goalless Premier League fixtures, the Blues defeated Everton 2-1 in the 2017/18 EFL Cup. Charly Musonda, Jr., Ethan Ampadu and Kenedy started, while Jake Clarke-Salter, Dujon Sterling and Kyle Scott were unused substitutes. Two months prior, Musonda, Kenedy and Fikayo Tomori watched from the bench as the Blues scored what would be their last league goals against Everton for some time.

Everton regularly features three players well younger than Maurizio Sarri’s usualy threshold. Tom Davies, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison are all under 23. Richarlison is their joint-leading scorer with 11 goals, and Calvert-Lewin is behind him with six.

While Chelsea look to end their winless and goalless streak at two games, Everton will want to avoid a loss in the hope of ending a much longer record. Everton still top the table for most Premier League losses. This is a remarkable statement of their ability to stay in the Premier League without ever really succeeding.

However, West Ham are now within three games of overtaking Everton. Unlike Everton, though, West Ham have made a few trips to the Championship while racking up their top flight losses.