A cursory glance at the Premier League table reveals that Chelsea have won all eight of their away matches this season. In stark contrast to their stuttering home form, Phil Scolari’s men have been winning at half-time and full-time in seven of these games, while they have won the same number of encounters without reply. Robinho remains the only player to have registered a goal against them on the road this term, will this trend continue at Goodison Park?
It seems foolish to give up on this tactic until the wind changes, so it’s all about the 7/4 (Stan James) that the Blues lead at the interval and at the final whistle. Some of you might also want to snap up the 7/4 that Ladbrokes are offering about the visitors winning to nil, although backing both of the above outcomes does leave you exposed if Everton lead at half-time. Indeed, you might just want to stick with backing Chelsea to win the match (8/11 Victor Chandler), especially with the Toffees only winning one match at home all season.
Nevertheless, all good (and bad) things must come to an end, with David Moyes’ team looking a far more compact outfit recently. Successive away wins at Tottenham and Manchester City have seen them rocket to seventh, and they’re a massive 9/2 (Paddy Power) to take advantage of Chelsea’s indifferent league form. Indeed, if the Merseyside club treat this like an away match, they might have a good chance of getting something! Six wins from nine on their travels suggests they have become adept at soaking up pressure, although a lack of striking options could see them struggle to breach the Blues defence.
Nicolas Anelka is a 13/8 chance (Coral) to score for a third match running, and it’s likely that Scolari will continue to select the Frenchman ahead of Didier Drogba. The latter is 9/2 (totesport) to score first or last, while Michael Ballack is an interesting selection at 12/1 (Ladbrokes), especially with the threat that the German poses from set pieces. Everton will also look to benefit from corners and free-kicks, none more so than defender Joleon Lescott (22/1 Skybet) and last week’s match winner Tim Cahill (11/1 bet365).