Everton XI Named To Take On Chelsea

Sean Dyche keeps faith with the same starting XI which drew at Arsenal for the visit of Chelsea to Goodison Park this afternoon (2pm GMT kick-off).

With Dwight McNeil still missing because of a minor knee injury, Abdoulaye Doucoure is set to continue in the attacking midfield role behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin – the striker’s 200^th start for the Club in all competitions – flanked by Jack Harrison and Iliman Ndiaye.

After registering a fourth clean sheet in five Premier League matches in the 0-0 draw at the Emirates, the Blues’ backline remains the same: Jordan Pickford in goal, captain James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite in central defence, alongside full-backs Ashley Young and Vitalii Mykolenko.

Defensive midfielders Idrissa Gana Gueye and Orel Mangala complete the line-up.

Armando Broja, on loan from Chelsea for the 2024/25 campaign, misses out as he cannot face his parent club, but there is a welcome return for fellow forward Youssef Chermiti. The Portuguese makes a Men’s Senior Team matchday squad for the first time this season after sustaining a foot injury in pre-season.

Everton XI: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski (c), Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana, Mangala, Harrison, Ndiaye, Doucoure, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Beto, O'Brien, Chermiti, Coleman, Lindstrøm, Armstrong.