Chelsea hosts Sean Dyche’s Everton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday before the two week international break begins. Having won the last two Premier League games, Graham Potter’s men will want to end the month of March on a positive note with a win over Everton who are just one point adrift of the drop zone.
Chelsea has won three games in a row in all competitions, all while playing a 3-4-3. With the Blues on a win-streak, Potter has a decision to make, considering that he benched Benoit Badiashile in the Leicester City game, bringing him on in the 86th minute.
It seems like the more realistic path to playing in next season’s UEFA Champions League is winning the current one, but the Blues still need to win as many games as possible between now and the end of the season, even if to gather some momentum for next season, so here’s who we think Potter gives the go-ahead against Everton:
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Everton
Kepa Arrizabalaga (No. 1) Goalkeeper, Spain
Arrizabalaga has been Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper for the majority of this season and he has been superb. At an incredible 80% save rate, the Spaniard leads all Premier League goalkeepers with up to 15 league games. Edouard Mendy still seems to be having a problem with his finger.
Wesley Fofana (No. 33) Right centerback, France
Fofana has been phenomenal for the Blues in the last three games. It should be mentioned that his passing still needs improvement. His pass completion is only just satisfactory for a centerback. Potter will be hoping that Fofana doesn’t have any more injuries anytime soon, as Fofana has shown how valuable he can be to the team
Kalidou Koulibaly (No. 26) Centerback, Senegal
The Koulibaly remontada is fully on. The Senegal captain has been the Blues’ best-performing centerback in their last three games. He has been superb at the heart of the defense in the absence of Thiago Silva. Fans that expected the former Napoli man to be gone in the summer were perhaps a bit hasty.
Benoit Badiashile (No. 4) Left centerback, France
Badiashile has been the best January signing at the club, if not the league. He stepped into this Chelsea side and immediately showed his incredible composure, exquisite passing, and emphatic aerial dominance. Badiashile started the Leicester game from the bench and Potter got away with that decision.
The passing in the back line was not great. In fact, Koulibaly and Fofana completed 33% of the long balls they attempted, with the former attempting nine and the latter attempting six. Everton has James Tarkowski, who is also magnificent in the air, and Everton will want to make this game about set pieces and crosses.
Ben Chilwell (No. 21) Left wingback, England
Chilwell has been outstanding in the past two games, scoring the opening goal for Potter’s men against his former club Leicester.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (No. 12) Right wingback, England
Loftus-Cheek has done well as a makeshift wingback in the absence of Reece James and considering that the 6-foot-3 Englishman is a central midfielder, there’s nothing much to be said about Loftus-Cheek at right wingback. He hasn’t lit up the world when he’s played, but he’s been solid.
Enzo Fernandez (No. 5) Central midfielder, Argentina
Enzo has been very good for the home side, especially his passing. His pass selection has often been excellent. His distribution has been superb in all the games he’s played since making the big move, especially his progressive passing. Long may it continue. It must be said that Leicester controlled the midfield and the Argentinian, along with Mateo Kovacic never really got control of the midfield, may that NOT continue.
Mateo Kovacic (No. 8) Central midfielder, Croatia
Mateo Kovacic and Enzo are very similar players, which is why the game against Leicester would be a more usual occurrence than many realize. “The game against Leicester” being Leicester winning almost all the midfield battles and playing through the Blues’ midfield fairly easily, leaving the centerbacks and goalkeeper to be putting out fires.
Don’t take my word for it, but Marc Cucurella attempted 14 tackles in that game. For a centerback, that’s a lot, and that doesn’t indicate a team that controlled proceedings.
Joao Felix (No. 11) Right winger, Portugal
Felix likely starts again, but not necessarily on merit. Some say he has been good at linking the play from midfield to attack, and there may be a case to be made for that, but he has not done much of that in the past few weeks. Chelsea should be very hesitant to start discussing making his loan deal permanent. The Portuguese needs to get on the scoresheet and work on his finishing product.
Mykhailo Mudryk (No. 15) Left winger, Ukraine
Sterling is likely not fully fit yet, and Mudryk showed enough to suggest he needs more playing time. The Ukrainian played centrally against Leicester and it appeared to work well for the Blues. Perhaps, a floating and interchanging front three could be the answer to Chelsea’s attacking woes.
Kai Havertz (No. 29) Center forward, Germany
Havertz has been in good form, getting on the end of high quality chances, creating high-quality chances, and scoring goals. He has come under heavy criticism this season and some of it is merited, but he has been excellent in this win streak and has played a major part in it. His work rate in the final third, constantly getting involved in duels and unsettling the opposition defenses.
Will Chelsea win against Everton?