Everton vs Chelsea LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction today

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Evening Standard

·22 dicembre 2024

Everton vs Chelsea LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction today

Blues could spend Christmas Day top of the Premier League table

Everton vs Chelsea - LIVE!

OneFootball Video

Chelsea have the chance to move to the top of the Premier League as they travel to face Everton at Goodison Park this afternoon. Victory would take the Blues above Liverpool by a point, at least until Arne Slot’s side face Tottenham later today, and should Spurs then avoid defeat, it will be Chelsea spending Christmas at the summit.

Enzo Maresca continues to insist his side are not in the title race but they are on an eight-match winning run in all competitions and continue to impress. The Chelsea boss is forced into a reshuffle in defence, with Levi Colwill seemingly shifted over to left-back to cover for the suspended Marc Cucurella.

Everton sit only three points clear of the relegation zone but their form has improved in recent weeks. Sean Dyche’s side held Arsenal to a goalless draw in north London last weekend, having thrashed Wolves before that. The Toffees are unbeaten in their last five home matches. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below, featuring expert analysis from Malik Ouzia at the ground!

Live updates

1 minute ago

Maresca lays out James plan

Reece James handed Chelsea a boost by returning to training on Friday, but Enzo Maresca has vowed to take a “slowly, slowly” approach to his latest comeback.

James has not featured since the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in early November because of a hamstring problem picked up during the subsequent international break.

The club captain has been plagued by a series of fitness problems - and, in particular, hamstring injuries - over the past three years and has made only six Premier League appearances across the entirety of 2024.

The 25-year-old had surgery last winter in a bid to resolve the issue and did return to full fitness during preseason, only to pick up a fresh problem that eventually ruled him out until mid-October.

James had managed just four appearances for the Blues this term when his latest injury struck and Maresca says the club will be cautious in coaxing him back into action this time around.

“Reece finally [on Friday] will start with us for part of the session, so slowly, slowly, he will be back,” Maresca said.

“That doesn’t mean he is going to be with us on Sunday [against Everton] or next Sunday.

“The plan for him [on Friday] is to be with the team for part of the session and from there to try to build the right condition for him. Then finally he can be back with us.”

Getty Images

9 minutes ago

New era for Everton

Everton's takeover by the Friedkin Group was confirmed this week.

A statement issued by the club on Thursday morning said the Toffees had been acquired by Roundhouse Capital Holdings Limited, an entity within the Friedkin Group.

The club said the deal had received the necessary regulatory approvals from the Premier League, Women's Professional Leagues Limited, the Football Association and the Financial Conduct Authority.

The Premier League's statement confirmed the Friedkin Group had purchased a 98.8 per cent stake in Everton.

It marks the end of a turbulent period for the club under the ownership of Farhad Moshiri.

The club have twice been sanctioned under the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) in the last 13 months, and had eight points in total deducted last season.

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

17 minutes ago

In the building!

The Blues have arrived at Goodison...

26 minutes ago

Chelsea duo in danger of suspension

Players who pick up five yellow cards in the first 19 Premier League matches of the season will receive a one-match ban. The threshold for a suspension after that point in the campaign is raised to 10 bookings after 32 matches.

Therefore, Chelsea’s match against Ipswich Town on December 30 is the final game in which suspensions will be handed out for a fifth yellow card.

With four yellow cards each, both Nicolas Jackson and Robert Sanchez are the Chelsea players in immediate danger as they need to avoid a booking against Everton, Fulham and Ipswich to avoid a one-game ban.

Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia and Noni Madueke are all on three yellow cards, so they too need to be careful over the next three matches.

Meanwhile, Malo Gusto, Joao Felix and Renato Veiga have more breathing room on two and therefore just have to avoid a booking against the Toffees to no longer be a suspension risk.

Four yellow cards: Nicolas Jackson and Robert Sanchez

Three yellow cards: Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia and Noni Madueke

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

33 minutes ago

Dele bids farewell to Everton

Dele Alli says it’s time for him to turn a new page after confirming his Everton exit in an emotional farewell message on social media this week.

Though the former Tottenham star has been without a club since his contract with the Toffees expired in the summer, he has continued to train with the Merseyside outfit.

However, amid being offered the chance to revive his career in Italy with Como - managed by ex-Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas - Alli has taken to Instagram to officially announce his Everton departure.

In the lengthy post, the 28-year-old expressed his gratitude to the club's staff, players and fans for supporting him during a difficult time in his life.

“As widely published this week, 2025 may set me on a new path with some exciting opportunities,” he wrote. “Before any of that happens it’s very important for me to make clear how grateful I am of all the fans, staff and players at Everton FC for the support they have given me.

“It’s been an incredibly tough journey trying to put the final pieces together to regain match fitness and I cannot thank the Everton staff enough for the hard work they have put into this process.

“Unfortunately, things haven’t worked out as we all would have hoped and I think it’s the right time for me to turn a new page.

“I want to wish everyone at this amazing club the very best of luck and hopefully we will see each other again soon.”