Chelsea vs Everton: Match Preview, Latest Team News and Score Prediction | OneFootball

Chelsea and Everton Set for a Tense Stamford Bridge Encounter

Chelsea step back into Premier League focus this weekend, searching for momentum as Everton arrive in confident mood. The narrative feels familiar, a club of grand ambition wrestling with inconsistency, and another riding a wave of form that invites optimism. Both sides enter this fixture with something to prove and something tangible at stake, shaping a meeting that should capture more intrigue than the league table suggests.

Shifting Fortunes at Stamford Bridge

Four matches without a win have left Chelsea unsettled. Since beating Barcelona in the Champions League last month, Enzo Maresca’s side have struggled to reassert control in key moments, and Tuesday’s defeat to Atalanta has only deepened questions about their rhythm and resilience. Fifth place, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, is not insurmountable, but the margin for error is shrinking. Ground must be recovered on Manchester City and Aston Villa before any title talk can be revived.

Photo: IMAGO

This weekend, the focus is immediate rather than aspirational. Everton arrive with momentum, having beaten Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest to climb to seventh. A victory would lift them above Chelsea, a testament to the consistency David Moyes has slowly sculpted across the autumn months. What lies ahead is less a meeting of aristocrat and underdog, more a collision of two sides trying to claim their own version of progress.

Key Details for Matchday

Chelsea vs Everton is set for 3pm GMT on Saturday 13 December 2025 at Stamford Bridge in west London. Due to the Saturday blackout regulations, the match will not be shown live on UK television. 

Team News and Tactical Notes

Cole Palmer is poised to return after being rested for the Atalanta defeat, with Maresca confirming that his minutes remain monitored after a lengthy spell out. His involvement could prompt a reshuffle in midfield, with Enzo Fernandez likely to adopt a deeper role while Moises Caicedo serves the final match of his suspension.

Wesley Fofana is a doubt following a freak eye injury sustained in Bergamo, while Liam Delap remains out with a shoulder problem. Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo and Levi Colwill continue their recovery, and the staff will assess whether Reece James can complete a demanding week with another start.

For Everton, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since his summer departure. Idrissa Gueye and Tim Iroegbunam are available again after suspension, although Thierno Barry is a doubt and Iliman Ndiaye makes his final appearance before Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Prediction

Everton’s incentive is obvious. Win, and they leapfrog Chelsea. They have also claimed consecutive away victories without conceding, suggesting a structure that travels well. Chelsea’s form invites scrutiny and perhaps a sense that Everton are catching them at a vulnerable moment.

The forecast feels finely balanced, shaped as much by psychology as tactical clarity. A draw seems plausible.

Draw, 2-2