Rejuvenated Chelsea welcome Everton to Stamford Bridge for a 5.30pm Saturday kick-off, looking for a fourth consecutive victory across all competitions before heading into the last international break of the season.

Last Saturday brought the Blues’ first away win since Aston Villa in October, the third victory in a row on all fronts, and with a rising goals tally of one, two and three. Until the King Power trip, the first with the Nike Third Ball, the Londoners had not registered a treble in the top flight since Wolves at home in early October.

While two league wins in succession have opened a 10-point gap to Crystal Palace in 12th, leaving the Blues looking upwards, just five points now separate the bottom nine clubs, including our visitors from Merseyside.

Seven of those endangered teams have changed their management at least once this term including the Toffees, who have been coached by Sean Dyche since the end of January. The former Burnley man has doubled Everton’s haul of wins to six since taking over, including a 1-0 at home to Brentford last weekend.

This is Chelsea’s first Saturday evening kick-off since the day after Boxing Day, when Bournemouth were beaten 2-0. That was the second win from four fixtures in that time slot this season for the Blues, the first having come in the reverse fixture to this, the season-opener at Goodison Park.

That 1-0 victory for the Londoners came thanks to a Jorginho penalty awarded after Abdoulaye Doucoure felled Ben Chilwell. As a result, Chelsea could complete a third league ‘double’ of the season this weekend, having already beaten Crystal Palace and Leicester home and away.

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Chelsea team news

If the previous two victories showed Graham Potter’s side making progress, the comfortable win at Leicester saw the team flexing its muscles. At the King Power three goals were scored from six efforts on target, at 50 per cent twice the team’s average of 25 per cent this season.

A hallmark of Chelsea’s heartening spree has been each area of the field showing the interchangeability Potter preaches on the training ground, whatever the personnel.

Despite Thiago Silva’s absence there has also been a balance at the back since reverting to a back three. Kalidou Koulibaly appears comfortable as libero in the middle, and Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella or Benoit Badiashile are snuffing out danger with consummate anticipation.

They are also licensed to maraud forward, overloading opponents. It was Koulibaly who completed arguably the world’s longest one-two with Ben Chilwell for the latter’s opening goal at his former home.

Equally, Ruben Loftus-Cheek ably deputised at right wing-back for the ill Reece James (who should return against the Toffees), while Mykhailo Mudryk impressed at centre-forward in place of Raheem Sterling, whose tight hamstring will be rested again this weekend. The Ukrainian’s touches and darting runs created plenty of openings for the likes of Kai Havertz or Joao Felix in the pockets behind.

Enzo in the middle (as his new terrace song goes) now looks a player claiming his domain, and some of his passing, not least Saturday’s assist for Havertz, is reminiscent of Cesc Fabregas. The Argentinean has already found a team-mate with 74 passes of 30 yards-plus in just eight games.

Mateo Kovacic’s thumped finish was reminiscent of his classic strike against Liverpool but he may not play 90 minutes on Saturday. N’Golo Kante has targeted this fixture for a return after his six-month lay-off, offering a mouthwatering prospect in midfield.

The Blues successfully switched to 3-5-2 when all-action Conor Gallagher replaced Joao Felix against the Foxes, though, and repeating that would match the visitors’ midfield set-up.

Edou Mendy re-joined full training this week following his finger operation. Mason Mount and Cesar Azpilicueta have been ruled out for this game.

Scouting the opposition – Everton

Sean Dyche has reported that striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin suffered an injury set-back in training. He could recall Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson but may stick with the team that has edged them a point away from the relegation places.

Dyche’s first match in charge set out the Everton’s new approach: a defensive 4-5-1 out of possession, attacking as a 4-3-3 on the ball, all with energy and determination. They now boast the same number of points as at this stage last season, when of course they secured top flight status for a 72nd season in a row, and are well organised at set-plays.

The ex-Burnley boss varied his first selections in search of a winning formula but at the back he has settled on reuniting centre-backs James Tarkowski and Michael Keane from his Turf Moor days. Full-backs Seamus Coleman and Ben Godfrey also offer body-on-the-line defending typical of a Dyche side.

Dyche’s usual line-up includes a midfield three of Amadou Onana (who took a whack against Brentford) and the revived Abdoulaye Doucoure deployed higher upfield, with Idrissa Gueye holding.

Their approach is more direct than under previous coach Frank Lampard and less open to counter-attacks. Full-backs attack less and drop narrow to defend the penalty area, happy to cede possession in the flanks. When they do sally forward the backs deliver more open-play crosses than before, though largely without Calvert-Lewin’s aerial prowess to aim for.

In his absence, Demarai Gray has led the fluid with licence to roam, supported by last weekend’s early goalscorer Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi. Iwobi, reinvented as a central midfielder during Lampard’s time, now roves the right to help 34-year-old Coleman, and has contributed most assists.

The Merseysiders have claimed all three points just once on the road so far this season: at St Mary’s, home of bottom club Southampton. They share with the Saints and Bournemouth the worst away record in the 10 minutes leading up half-time, each scoring no goals and conceding five.

Major trophies won

Liverpool 51
Man United 45
Arsenal 32
Chelsea 30
Man City 23
Aston Villa 22
Tottenham 17
Everton 15
Newcastle 12
Nottingham Forest 12
Blackburn 11

Flag interference

Chelsea attacks have broken down through offside calls 59 times in the league this season, two more than the next highest, Liverpool. There were four alone at Leicester last weekend, denying the impressive Mykhailo Mudryk his first goal for the Blues and Joao Felix his second.

In that context Kai Havertz’s muted response to a wonderful finish from Enzo Fernandez’s elegant scoop was understandable. The German has been flagged 25 times in the top flight this season, and admitted, ‘I did think I might have been offside so I didn’t celebrate really. These days, with VAR, you know the goal will be checked so I thought it was best to wait and see first.’

European merit places

By reaching the last eight of the Champions League, Chelsea added valuable revenue that only increased with the Round of 16 departures of Liverpool and Tottenham. But the game is about glory and the draw today (Friday) will chart our potential path to coronation as kings of Europe for a third time.

Should that not come about, what is the Blues’ route into a UEFA competition in 2023/24? Qualification through the league would remain on the table with an extended run of success, with a maximum of five English teams able to take part.

At present the team in fifth will join the FA Cup-winners in the Europa League, while Manchester United’s Conference League play-off place from winning the Carabao Cup would pass down to the next highest-placed team without a UEFA place.

Chelsea have never played in the Conference League, of course, but as recent winners of the Champions League, the Blues have been confirmed as entrants to the newly expanded version of the FIFA Club World Cup competition to be launched in 2025, which will feature 32 clubs from around the globe.

#GamesForEquality

Saturday’s match is the third of the Chelsea family’s ‘Games For Equality’, showcasing and celebrating Chelsea FC’s and the Chelsea Foundation’s extensive programme tackling discrimination, promoting tolerance and empowering women and marginalised groups.

The club-wide awareness campaign began when Chelsea Women faced Manchester United last Sunday and continues tonight (Friday) when the development squad also take on Everton.