Everton host Chelsea on Saturday evening with European football in sight.
The Toffees are only six points away from fifth place with eight games remaining, and could take advantage of a wounded Chelsea at the Hill Dickinson Stadium after Liam Rosenior saw his side crash out of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
The west Londoners lost 8-2 to PSG across two legs.
When analysing Chelsea’s display in the second leg, Rosenior mentioned Everton twice as he seemed to warn David Moyes to expect a backlash from his side after their humiliation in Europe.
What changes would you make? 🤔
Everton's predicted starting line-up against Chelsea.
Liam Rosenior says Chelsea “need to make sure we go to Everton” and respond
It was fighting talk from the 41-year-old after PSG embarrassed Chelsea, with his focus now firmly on making sure Everton suffer this Saturday.
Rosenior told Chelsea: “We need to be resilient. We need to make sure we go to Everton with an organisation, with a freshness and intensity in our team, because we want to be in the Champions League next season.
“What I have to do is make sure that we get back on track, and that comes from not making mistakes or errors. That’s something that my staff and I have already spoken about, but that’s something that I will speak about again and make sure that we go into the Everton game in a really positive frame of mind.”
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The man from Wandsworth certainly sounds determined to fire Chelsea – who could sell Tyrique George to Moyes – to victory on Merseyside this Saturday, which could play into Everton’s hands if the west Londoners show too much desperation to win.
Everton can achieve a Hill Dickinson Stadium first with victory over Chelsea
If Everton – who want John Stones – can defeat Chelsea on Saturday, it will mark the first run of consecutive Premier League wins at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton have failed to win two Premier League games in a row since moving into the new ground, coming closest at the start of the season as two draws were sandwiched by two wins.
Everton 2-0 Brighton
Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace
Since then, the record at the Hill Dickinson Stadium has been very patchy, but having defeated Burnley 2-0 last time out at home, Everton can finally shake off this hoodoo by beating Chelsea.
Has the Hill Dickinson Stadium brought new problems for Everton fans? 😬
Season ticket prices are expected to rise for next season 💰
General view outside the stadium as fans gather prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Credit: Getty Images/Clive Mason
This is already the longest amount of time Everton have needed to record consecutive home wins since the 2014/15 campaign, when it took until April, so Moyes will be keen to make sure he beats Chelsea with only three more home games to come after Saturday’s clash.
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