Frank Lampard leads Chelsea to Everton to face Duncan Ferguson’s temporary Everton. Ferguson will need more than a bounce to get anything out of this match.
Everton need a win to get out of the relegation zone. After Chelsea they have to face Manchester United, Leicester City and the only team to have fallen nearly as far as them, Arsenal. Everton has been coasting on history for about decade now, so there’s a particularly irony (delicious, if you’re anti-Toffee) about the Chelsea’s young team perhaps nudging Everton closer to the trap door at the bottom of the Premier League.
Scott Brant: Everton 0 – 2 Chelsea. Normally I would be afraid of a manager bounce, but Everton are a mess from top to bottom. Look for them to be overwhelmed with everything that is going on, with some extra foreboding given their daunting upcoming schedule. Tammy Abraham will continue his assault on the Premier league, and Christian Pulisic will be back on the score sheet. Another huge three points for Frank Lampard.
Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 1 – 2. Everton have just sacked their manager, so Chelsea has to be wary of a new manager bounce. The bounce may be enough to make Everton score, but shouldn’t be enough to let them win.
Frank Lampard has been doing a fine job so far. He should not let the lifted transfer ban taint his judgement. He’s right to keep focusing on the football and use the transfer window as just another option. Chelsea will go two goals up at Everton, but it’s hard to see them keeping a clean sheet.
Vansh Ambashta: 1 – 4. So, the narrative will be pretty much the same. Chelsea will play well with their regular defensive troubles, and are coming off a win after a tough phase. Everton are coming off a thumping from Liverpool. The Blues should be able to see this through without much hassle. They will concede a goal, though. Has to happen. Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic to score two each.
Nate Hofmann: 2 – 1. Ugh, just Chelsea’s luck. It would’ve been so nice to show up at Goodison Park and beat the stuffing out of Marco Silva’s flagging side. Instead, this match wreaks of the inevitable New Manager Bounce, or at least the Not the Old Manager Bounce.
With club legend Duncan Ferguson taking the reins for the match, the Toffee supporters should be in full voice. A rocking Goodison can be an intimidating atmosphere for even the most seasoned of professionals. What Everton lack in cohesion and tactics, they can make up for in individual quality and the Ferguson-fueled good vibes.
This feels like a redux of the first Valencia match. Bad timing, bad result.
Oliver Smith: 3 – 3. Chelsea have shown patches of excellence this season and in almost equal parts there is still the worrying trend of lax defending and not being able to kill off games. Meanwhile Everton will be rejuvenated with a breath of fresh Duncan Ferguson air.
What felt like a certain win for Chelsea only a few days ago now feels much more like a match that is going to be decided by the finest of margins. However, with neither team in their best form, in all likelihood, it will end up even at the end. No doubt it’ll be a raucous crowd and a lively game – Chelsea score courtesy of a Pulisic double and another from Tammy Abraham.
Abhishek Pancholi: 1 – 3. Everton are about to face a fixture list that would make grown men weep into their pillows at night. It’s understandable why they chose to put Marco Silva out of his misery at this juncture, right before the pain begins. And begin it shall.
The Toffees might be feeling a bit smug right now, expecting the tired, old cliche called “new manager bounce” to bail them out against Chelsea. Too bad. Chelsea will start the game like a freight train, obliterating the Everton defence and running up a two goal lead before the home crowd has decided on the insults they’ll be hurling at an absent Ross Barkley.
A shell-shocked Everton will emerge after half-time, seeking to foul their way out of trouble, but will instead concede yet another goal on a lightning counter. Towards the end, a flurry of substitutions and a change of shape for the visitors will allow the Toffees to grab a consolation goal.
Barrett Rouen: 0 – 3. It’s a shame that Everton are as much of a mess as they are, but I don’t see Chelsea feeling that way at all. These games usually have something to them and I think the Blues come away with it in an exciting game that piles the pressure even more on the sorry state of things on the blue side of Liverpool.
I’m worried about Chelsea conceding one, as always, but that’s a deeply boring prediction so 3-0 to the good guys.
Hugo Amaya: 0 – 1. A highly motivated Everton will make life difficult for Chelsea. With a lot to prove, Everton will bring out all of their guns to this game, both defensively and offensively. Chelsea will have a lot of difficulties getting around the game and team play won’t be as fluent. On the other hand, Everton will look threatening and aggressive.
But a goal late in the first half by Michy Batshuayi and some conservative substitutions by Lampard in the second will help the Blues see this one out with a clean sheet and three points.
Kevin Peacock: 0 – 1. Everton’s temporary manager may well have been an attacking player but it will be the defence where he focuses his attention. Of course, there may be a lift in performance from the Toffees, but Chelsea have the quality to secure another three points.
It’s an early kick-off and those games can be underwhelming. I’m looking at a dour win for Frank Lampard’s Chelsea. It’s difficult to look beyond Tambraham for the winner, but if he fails it’ll be N’Golo Kante bagging the three points.