Everton v Chelsea Betting Odds, Preview and Predictions

Everton v Chelsea Betting Preview
A massive top five clash for Sunday’s shortened fixture list in the Premier League and with the Londoners having just a two point lead over the Toffees, there really is everything to play for in a tight race for a top four finish. Chelsea have stretched out to a three match winning streak while Everton have rattled off two in a row. Everton are unbeaten at Goodison Park this season too, but will the in-form Chelsea be able to turn up on Merseyside and ruin that picture? Tough match for both sides who are in very good form.

Everton v Chelsea Betting Odds at online bookmaker Paddy Power
Chelsea 7/5, Everton 2/1, Draw 23/10

Everton v Chelsea Recommended Bet:
Can the Toffees maintain their great home form this season? This is probably the most complete side that boss David Moyes has ever assembled at Goodison Park. This season, Everton have record five wins, four draws and no defeats on home soil. It has been their impressive expansive play which has impressed most people, really throwing off the shackles this season. They have scored at a rate of 1.78 goals per game, and unusually for Everton, their defence has not been as tight as you would associate an Everton defence to be. The Toffees have conceded at a rate of over a goal per game and both teams have scored in each of Everton’s last fifteen matches. Everton have lost just one of their last eight Premier League matches against Chelsea though, and only once before in the top flight have they had more points than they do this season after 19 games. Everton also have the best record in the league for the fewest losses this season, being defeated just twice. Still, they have won just three of their last eight in the Premier League, drawing the other five. Each of those three recent wins have come by a 2-1 scoreline, so that may be a trend worth riding if you are looking at Everton. Strangely for all of their success this season, their opposition has scored first in 10 of their 19 matches this season. They have initiated a lot of comebacks, but doing so against Chelsea will be a harder task.

Chelsea are pretty much firing at the moment. Over the last two matches we have seen different sides of them under Rafa Benitez. They totally destroyed Aston Villa with clinical precision in that 8-0 romp at Stamford Bridge before Christmas, but then they smartly tightened up ship for a more defensive set up in a 1-0 away victory at Norwich on Boxing Day. The winning goal came from Juan Mata, who has now scored or been involved in 14 goals in 16 Premier League appearances this season. Chelsea have rattled off 44 shots in their last two matches and even the boss Rafa Benitez has good form against Everton too, winning five and drawing one of his last six against the Toffees. Chelsea are looking more settled at the moment, winning the last three in a row comfortably and if you take out the matches at the recent Club World Cup, Chelsea have won their last five games by a 23-3 aggregate. Pretty impressive. Chelsea’s away record stands at five wins, two draws and two defeats this season, scoring at a rate of 1.67 goals per game on the road, conceding just over a goal per game.

So there is a high likelihood that both clubs will get on the scoresheet and the Blues have opened the scoring in 12 of their 18 Premier League matches this season, having lead at halftime in exactly half of them. This really would be a massive match for Chelsea to win, especially with them still having a game in hand over the rest of the top six. Given Everton’s good home form, it may be worth running with the 2-1 Correct Score option for Everton at a price of 10/1 at online bookmaker Paddy Power.

Form
Everton DDWDWW, Chelsea WWLWWW

Stat Attack
Both teams have scored in Everton’s last fifteen matches now
Everton have lost just one of the last eight Premier League meetings with Chelsea
Juan Mata has been involved in 14 goals in 16 PRemier League appearances this term
Everton have hit the woodwork more than any other side this season
The Toffees are unbeaten at home this season

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