After Wednesday’s loss to Manchester United, Mauricio Pochettino will want the extra day’s rest to count in our favour - the hosts beat Newcastle 3-0 at home on Thursday. His team will have to show they are up for the battle from the starting whistle against a team fighting for their lives after a ten-point deduction. Chelsea should draw strength from a resilient victory over Brighton in the same slot last weekend.

For his part, the Argentinean has beaten Everton seven times and is unbeaten in his past dozen league games against them. Meanwhile, it might have suited his counterpart, Toffees boss Sean Dyche, to be playing away this weekend. His side have the fifth-worst home points tally in the top flight, including five losses, one draw, and now two wins.

The Merseysiders have lost three games in a row against visitors from ‘that London’. Chelsea won 1-0 here last season thanks to a Jorginho penalty.

Team news

Pochettino welcomes Conor Gallagher back from suspension knowing the England midfielder tops Chelsea’s statistics for assists, reclaiming the ball, interceptions and tackles won, and is a vital part of his pressing strategy.

There were bright moments amid the gloom at Old Trafford. Misha Mudryk’s first assist set up leading goal contributor Cole Palmer for an adept finish – his only goal from open play to date. The Blues did carve United apart on several occasions, but the final touch of class was lacking and chances went begging.

Robert Sanchez impressed again, stopping six shots and keeping the Blues in the game. The Spaniard’s save from Bruno Fernandes’ penalty ended a run of 32 successful takes in Premier League matches, stretching back to August.

A major key concern for Poch, though, is how a defensive set-up that was the third tightest in the league a few weeks ago has slipped to 11th best. Twenty-four goals against from 15 outings matches our worst ever Premier League tally, set in 2015/16.

United’s flurry of 27 shots was the most conceded by the Blues in the league since 28 at Liverpool in 2016, contributing towards a total of 194 – the most on record for the club (since 2003/04) at this stage of a season.

While Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia are edging still closer to match involvement, the injury list remains long. If fit, Reece James could return to the starting line-up, while Thiago Silva’s workload may have to be managed, with Benoit Badiashile an option.

Opposition scout – Everton

Everton head coach Sean Dyche has a record of one win in 15 attempts against Chelsea, a club he nearly joined as an apprentice. He has no real injury concerns this weekend, though midfielder Andre Gomes is still working back to match-fitness. Injury-stricken talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin returned on Thursday but midfielder James Garner was ill, Seamus Coleman deputising until subbed.

Home form has been a problem for Dyche this season. The Toffees are one of the more modest-scoring sides in the top flight with 18, eight of those coming in front of the Gwladys Street faithful.

Two areas where the Toffees lead the way in the Premier League, though, are aerial challenges won and tackles made per game. Full-back Vitalii Mykolenko is their harasser-in-chief on both fronts. A majority of attacks develop down the left through the Ukrainian and Dwight McNeil, who fire in plenty of crosses. McNeil earned a vital 1-0 win against fellow relegation rivals Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Everton are a serious threat from attacking set-plays (only Arsenal have scored more) but, like Chelsea, only five teams have conceded more when defending free-kicks or corners. They have conceded the third fewest shots on target in the top flight, behind Man City and Arsenal, yet seven teams have let in fewer total goals.

Chelsea should see plenty of the ball: the Toffees have averaged the third lowest percentages in ball possession and passing accuracy this season. However, the likes of Jack Harrison and Idrissa Gueye are all about effort, and Poch admitted the Blues could not match United’s energy on Wednesday.

As ever, the first goal could be crucial. Everton have conceded the lead eight times in the league, and only mustered an equaliser once.

Chelsea vs Everton – the history

This is a top-flight fixture first played at Goodison Park 115 years ago on 1 April 1908, when George Hilsdon completed a hat-trick to secure a 3-0 victory.

‘Gatling Gun’s career tally against the Toffees was seven and he remains our third-highest scorer against them. While Everton have not taken three points at the Bridge in nearly 30 years, the story on Merseyside is more mixed.

Last season’s 1-0 victory from a Jorginho penalty ended a run of four straight defeats and one goal scored in this corner of Merseyside. Prior to that results included memorable 3-0, 6-3 and 2-1 wins either side of defeats.

The 2-1 happened 11 years ago this month. Steven Pienaar opened the scoring in the second minute before Frank Lampard netted either side of the break to complete the comeback.

The nine-goaler in August 2014 was a Saturday night thriller, both sides playing bold, end-to-end attacking football and each defence making mistakes (not least a Coleman own goal).

Diego Costa opened and closed the scoring in the first and 90th minutes, while Ramires scored once and set up two goals for team-mates. Former Blues striker Samuel Eto’o was among the hosts’ scorers.

Off the card

For the first time in a league match this season, no Chelsea player was cautioned at Old Trafford (the previous four games we had averaged 4.75 bookings per game).

That is good news: until match 19 is completed and the punishment bar is raised to ten bookings, Enzo Fernandez and Raheem Sterling, both on four, are one yellow card away from a ban. However, the Blues remain the most booked team in the top flight with 51 cautions to date.

Grand old ground

Chelsea may not be visiting 130-year-old Goodison Park for much longer. Everton’s new stadium, rising on the riverfront at Bramley-Moore Dock, is projected to open during the 2024/25 season.

Its capacity is planned to be 52,888, ranking it seventh among current Premier League stadiums and 12,000 bigger than Stamford Bridge.