After a very damaging week, can Chelsea get back on track on Merseyside? In mid-week, the Blues exited the Champions League in ignominious fashion, swatted aside 3-0 by Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge. Having also been demolished 5-2 in the French capital six nights earlier, this is the club's joint-most emphatic two-legged European defeat of all-time.
Meantime, their place in next season's Champions League is in genuine jeopardy. Last Saturday's damaging home defeat at the hands of Newcastle means Liam Rosenior's side have won only one of their last five in the league so sit sixth, one point below Liverpool.
Next up, on Saturday evening, Chelsea will visit Hill Dickinson Stadium for the very first time. Chelsea supporters were probably more pleased than most to see the back of Goodison Park, given their miserable recent record there.
Chelsea's record at Goodison Park (2008-2025)
Meetings: 20. Everton wins: 11. Draws: 4. Chelsea wins: 5.
Everton goals: 26. Chelsea goals: 18. Times Chelsea scored nil: 11.
Amazingly, Chelsea won only one of their final eight visits to Goodison Park, losing five of them, scoring only two goals there since April 2017. That though is in the past, with Everton having moved into a new home. So, how do Chelsea fare when visiting a new stadium in the Premier League for the first time?
Chelsea's results when first visiting a new venue in the Premier League
Date Stadium Hosts Scoreline
21 March 2026 Hill Dickinson Stadium Everton TBC
16 October 2021 Gtech Community Stadium Brentford 1-0 win
22 December 2019 Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 win
16 December 2018 Falmer Stadium Brighton 2-1 win
12 December 2017 John Smith's Stadium Huddersfield Town 3-1 win
6 March 2017 London Stadium West Ham United 2-1 win
11 May 2014 Cardiff City Stadium Cardiff City 2-1 win
31 January 2012 Liberty Stadium Swansea City 1-1 draw
29 October 2008 KC Stadium Hull City 3-0 win
27 September 2008 Britannia Stadium Stoke City 2-0 win
6 May 2007 Emirates Stadium Arsenal 1-1 draw
14 October 2006 Madejski Stadium Reading 1-0 win
14 August 2005 JJB Stadium Wigan Athletic 1-0 win
28 February 2004 Etihad Stadium Manchester CIty 1-0 win
11 January 2004 King Power Stadium Leicester City 4-0 win
25 August 2001 St Mary's Southampton 2-0 win
4 December 1999 Stadium of Light Sunderland 4-1 loss
5 April 1998 Pride Park Derby County 1-0 win
26 October 1997 Reebok Stadium Bolton Wanderers 1-0 loss
26 August 1995 Riverside Stadium Middlesbrough 2-0 loss
Chelsea's recent record when visiting new Premier League stadiums for the very first time is extraordinarily impressive. The Blues have won each of the last six such fixtures, unbeaten in 15 overall, of which they've won 13, only drawing with Arsenal in 2007 and in Swansea five years later.
Towards the beginning of the Premier League-era, the Blues did suffer defeats when first visiting the new homes of Middlesbrough, Bolton and Sunderland, but that 4-1 defeat on Wearside in 1999 is the last time this has happened. So, they'll hope this trend continues at the weekend.
Looking at the EFL Championship table, there could be some more new venues for the Chelsea faithful to visit next season. The club's all-time leading goalscorer Frank Lampard is now in charge of Coventry City, who are currently seven points clear at the top with only eight games to go.
Just below, the Blues did travel to the Racecourse, or STōK Cae Ras as we're supposed to call it, in the FA Cup earlier this month, but Wrexham might just become a top-flight English club for the very first time in the near future. Meantime, Millwall are in the play-offs places, so Chelsea could soon face the Lions for the first time since their sole visit to the New Den in 1995.