“Let’s make things right, together,” says Cole Palmer in his Instagram story the night before Chelsea take on Everton, back at Stamford Bridge after three straight away, two of which we lost in quite disappointing
fashion. In fact, it is now four without a win, matching the longest streak of Enzo Maresca’s tenure as Blues boss.
Of course, long Decembers are just as popular ‘round here as in the catalog of the Counting Crows — na na na na, yeah — but we had reason to believe that we could rise above another top-four scrap this season. Maybe next year.
For now, having dropped to fifth behind a surging Manchester City and Aston Villa (games against both coming up in a couple weeks, too), the fight is very much on for Champions League places. Four points separate fourth from twelfth. Winter will claim a few victims; can we halt the slide and survive?
Date / Time: Saturday, December 13, 2025, 15.00 GMT; 10am EST; 8:30pm IST
Venue: Stamford Bridge, SW6
Referee: Tom Bramall (on pitch); Stuart Attwell (VAR)
Forecast: Sunny, though not warm
On TV: none (UK); USA, Universo (USA); Star Sports Select HD2 (India); SuperSport MaXimo 1, Canal+ Sport 4 (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: none (UK); NBC Sports Live, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (USA); JioHotstar (India); DStv Now (NGA)
Chelsea team news: Chelsea let another lead slip on Tuesday night as Atalanta came from behind to win, 2-1. Enzo Maresca blamed it on the team losing “control” in the second half, but that seemed a fairly generous assessment of the state of the game. We conceded an equalizer and a seemingly inevitable winner without the home side having to work particularly hard for either. So that’s three frustratingly subpar performances from the team after the highs of a couple weeks ago, when we beat Barcelona so impressively and went toe-to-toe with Arsenal despite playing with just ten players.
It should be helpful to have someone like Cole Palmer fit, but I’m not entirely sure this sort of thing can be solved by one or two individual players. Consistent excellence requires collective excellence, as well as your stars showing up most, if not every night. Speaking of whom, Palmer didn’t travel midweek so hopefully he’s in better condition than last week. That was his first game back, and it showed.
One bit of good news is that Wesley Fofana’s eye is okay, after it started swelling up and affecting his vision following an accidental boot to the face by an Atalanta player. And though Liam Delap, Levi Colwill, Dário Essugo, and Roméo Lavia are all out, this will be the last game of Moisés Caicedo’s three-match ban.
Everton team news: Winners of four of five, the Toffees have shot up the table and currently sit seventh, just a point and two places behind us. They may not score a lot, but they also don’t concede many, and kept a clean sheet in all four of those wins.
Former Chelsea spare part Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is thriving on Merseyside, leading the team with four goals, including three in his last four. Fellow summer arrivals Jack Grealish (on loan from Manchester City) and Thierno Barry have also made a positive impact, even if it’s taken 17 games for Barry, a £37m striker from Villarreal, to open his account last weekend.
Barry should be fit after a shoulder injury scare in that same game, while Tim Iroegbunam and Gana Gueye are set to return from suspensions. Gana was sent off for striking his own teammate, Michael Keane — violent conduct is violent conduct, after all, regardless of target — so we’ll see to what extent he’s welcomed back to the team. (He’s leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations anyway after this game.) Seamus Coleman, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Merlin Röhl are injured.
View from the enemy: Royal Blue Mersey
Previously: Chelsea haven’t lost at home to Everton since 1994: 30 straight at the Bridge without defeat (even Spurs only went 28 straight). Manager David Moyes meanwhile has never won at the Bridge in his long career; this will be his 21st try. Nicolas Jackson scored the only goal in this fixture last season, which was enough as Everton have failed to score in four straight against us, home or away.
