Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Estevao Willian's minutes
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Split image - Chelsea's Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and Joao Pedro of Chelsea celebrates scoring
Split image - Chelsea's Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and Joao Pedro of Chelsea celebrates scoring
Winstanley and Stewart for Chelsea
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images
Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images
Image of Bournemouth's Alex Scott looking off camera during a match against Liverpool, with a news overlay about him potentially being on sale in January
Photo by David Horton – CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
Chelsea now go to Everton on Saturday afternoon, after a brilliant 5-1 win over Bournemouth. While they did concede, the Blues looked much better defensively with Moises Caicedo back in Chelsea’s midfield.
But it is Emi Martinez’s record that will give Alonso and Chelsea confidence when the Blues go to Everton. The World Cup winner has faced Everton on 12 different occasions, all of which have come in a Villa shirt.
In eight of those 12 games, Villa and Martinez won. But there are two other stats from those 12 games that will give Alonso hope of a clean sheet on Saturday. Martinez has conceded just eight goals in 12.
A rate of just 0.66 goals a game. Given Chelsea have conceded 13 in six Premier League games this term, a rate of over two goals, Martinez’s form against Everton will convince Alonso that a clean sheet is close.
In fact, Martinez has kept a highly impressive five clean sheets in those 12 matches against The Toffees. Alonso will be hoping on Saturday that the former Arsenal shot-stopper can make it six clean sheets in 13.
Xabi Alonso could name an unchanged side for the first time
How can you change a side that beat a Premier League side, in European competition, 5-1? Caicedo is back, Jordan Henderson scored twice, Pep Chavarria covered 11.6km, and Pedro Neto is thriving.
Josh Acheampong was excellent, picked over Wesley Fofana. The other roles in the side are not up for debate, with Maxence Lacroix, Martinez, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and Joao Pedro set to start.
Marco Palestra will have to wait for a first start, with Pedro adapting well, both now ahead of Malo Gusto in the pecking order. But on Saturday, it is Martinez’s record that gives Chelsea hope of a clean sheet.