Reece James And Benoit Badiashile To Start, Christopher Nkunku On The Bench: Chelsea’s Predicted XI To Play Everton
Chelsea were distinctly second-best against Manchester United midweek, and manager Mauricio Pochettino will be doing some soul-searching ahead of Sunday’s match against Everton.
It does seem to be one step forward and two steps back with this team at the moment, and there will be a sense of trepidation about what lies ahead at Goodison Park this weekend.
The Toffees beat Newcastle 3-0 on Thursday night, and they will bring a physicality that Pochettino’s side may struggle to handle.
Press the next page as we predict Chelsea’s starting lineup to take on Everton.
GK – Robert Sanchez
The Spaniard was Chelsea’s best performer against United and that tells you all you need to know about the team’s performance.
Sanchez’s penalty save from Bruno Fernandes was outstanding, while he made a number of other important stops too. However, he nearly gifted a goal with another poor pass out from the back.
Considering that he struggles to command his area from set-pieces, you can 100% guarantee that Everton boss Sean Dyche will look to take advantage by putting 1 or even 2 players on him at corners.
Sanchez has to stand up to the test, or Chelsea’s opponents could run away with the game, simply from dead ball situations.
RB – Reece James
It’s hard to make head or tail of the captain’s second-half performance at Old Trafford.
On the one hand, James was very threatening in the final third with some pinpoint crosses into the box which his teammates should have made more out of.
However, his defending left a lot to be desired, giving away possession needlessly, and being made a fool of by Alejandro Garnacho on more than one occasion.
Dwight McNeil is currently in good form, so James will have his hands full keeping the Everton winger quiet on Sunday.
CB – Thiago Silva
The calls for the Brazilian veteran to be dropped are getting louder and louder.
Silva wasn’t particularly great at Old Trafford but what may save him is that Axel Disasi was worse. The Frenchman was poor in possession and he failed to keep track of Rasmus Hojlund for most of the game.
With that being said, though, Silva needs to improve to justify his continued inclusion in the first eleven.
The 39-year-old is usually excellent against big target men like Dominic Calvert-Lewin so don’t bet against him putting in a masterful display.
CB – Benoit Badiashile
Pochettino inexplicably dropped the Frenchman after looking superb in the previous win over Brighton.
You do feel that the Chelsea boss has been rotating the defence way too often recently and that has had a detrimental effect in terms of the team’s solidity.
The Blues conceded 28 shots against United, and they need to stem the tide when they travel to Goodison Park.
Despite scoring 3 against Newcastle, Everton are not usually that prolific and, if Badiashile performs at his best, he should be able to keep their opponent’s attack quiet.
LB – Levi Colwill
Pochettino gave the 20-year-old the captain’s armband for the first half but, unfortunately, he was unable to produce a performance that measured up to the leadership role he was handed.
Colwill failed to mark Antony adequately, and he was too weak when Scott McTominay brushed him off for United’s second goal.
The defender is expected to stay in the starting lineup, though, as the alternative is Marc Cucurella.
Colwill is better equipped than the Spaniard for the physical threat that Everton will pose.
CM – Moises Caicedo
Playing as the lone no.6 doesn’t really suit the Ecuadorian international.
At Brighton, Caicedo was part of a double pivot with Alexis Mac Allister, and the pair worked very well in tandem. Since moving to Chelsea, though, he has been unable to show off his best attributes in the position he has been asked to play.
In possession, he is excellent at carrying the ball, and bypassing the press, but his job as the lone holding midfield player is to break up attacks and he wasn’t able to do much of that versus United.
Everton’s midfield is composed of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Idrissa Gueye, who don’t take any prisoners, so Caicedo needs to be up for the test.
CM – Enzo Fernandez
Inconsistency has been the Argentinian international’s main issue since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
After an excellent display against Brighton, Fernandez was completely anonymous versus United. You don’t pay £107m for a player just for him to go missing in big games.
It is sometimes easy to forget, though, that the midfielder is still only 22 years of age, so he won’t always be perfect.
Even so, fans are entitled to expect more and, hopefully, he steps up to the plate at Goodison Park this weekend.
AM – Conor Gallagher
Chelsea badly missed the 23-year-old’s pressing and energy at Old Trafford.
It is not a coincidence that Pochettino has started Gallagher in every single league game until his suspension against United, so you can expect him to be recalled on Sunday.
From the looks of things, Christopher Nkunku could be in the matchday squad to face Everton.
Of course, after being out for more than four months, the France international will only be fit enough to make the bench.
RW – Cole Palmer
The 21-year-old was guilty as anyone of being lax in possession against United.
However, Palmer did get on the scoresheet, which demonstrates his effectiveness in the final third of the pitch; something that is distinctly lacking from some of Chelsea’s other forward players.
With Gallagher back available, Palmer may have to move out wide to accommodate the midfielder’s return.
Mykhailo Mudryk could be the player to make way, after the Ukrainian international’s disappointing display at Old Trafford.
CF – Armando Broja
Nicolas Jackson’s erratic form is certainly not helping the Blues at the moment.
After looking bright against Brighton last weekend, he was way off the pace at Old Trafford, giving away the ball before United’s opener.
The Senegalese international also fluffed his lines after being presented with a gilt-edged chance to score, following a pass from Raheem Sterling.
It may be time for Pochettino to hand Broja another start. Everton’s backline will probably find Jackson easier to mark than the Albanian international, who can hold up the ball better and bring others into the game.
LW – Raheem Sterling
It is a toss-up between the 28-year-old and Mudryk as to who should be dropped.
Both wingers were extremely wasteful when presented with counter-attacking opportunities against United.
The fact is, though, Sterling has been in much better form in front of goal than Mudryk so far this season, and that means he should keep his place for now.
If the England international fails to perform at Goodison Park, though, Pochettino will be well within his rights to bench him.