Chelsea's dramatic win against Fulham in their last match was a significant result in the battle for a top-five spot in the Premier League, but the Blues have a tough schedule ahead.
After facing Everton at home on Saturday, Chelsea will go up against Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest. With the competition heating up for Champions League berths, they cannot afford any slip-ups.
Everton, on the other hand, may not have much at stake in terms of league standings. However, they have only suffered defeats against Liverpool and Manchester City since mid-January, indicating that they will give Chelsea a challenge at Stamford Bridge.
Team news
Chelsea will be missing Wesley Fofana, Marc Guiu, Malo Gusto, and Omari Kellyman due to injuries. Winger Mykhailo Mudryk is also out of contention.
Everton's James Tarkowski is set to be sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained against Manchester City. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Orel Mangala, and Jesper Lindstrom are also expected to miss the upcoming match.
On-loan Chelsea striker Armando Broja is ineligible to play against his parent club, so Beto could lead Everton's attack.
The stats
In their last six league games, Chelsea have failed to score a first-half goal. Moreover, 10 of their 16 league victories this season have come against teams in the bottom six.
Both teams have scored in only two of Chelsea's last seven matches, whereas Everton have lost just two out of their last 13 league games.
Four of Everton's last seven matches have ended in a 1-1 draw, and they have recorded the highest number of draws in the league this season with 14.
Prediction
Chelsea's recent matches have seen them struggle before making comebacks, such as in their win against Fulham and draw against Ipswich. Another draw could be in the cards when they face Everton.
Chelsea's performances have been far from convincing, with narrow wins against Leicester and Tottenham, a draw against Brentford, and a loss to Arsenal. They even advanced to the Conference League semi-finals despite a surprising defeat to Legia Warsaw.
Everton, meanwhile, have been solid away from home, with their only loss in the last six away games being against Liverpool. They also put up a strong defensive display against Manchester City until the late stages of the match.
With Everton's tendency to draw matches and their capability to frustrate opponents, it is likely to be a low-scoring affair at Stamford Bridge, with a draw favoring the Toffees for the 15th time this season.