“Paul Merson’s SHOCKING Chelsea vs. Everton Prediction: A ONE-GOAL Thriller That’ll Leave You Speechless!”

Everton suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City at Goodison Park, but for much of the match, they managed to keep the reigning champions at bay.

The turning point came with the injury to James Tarkowski, which gave City the momentum they needed.

Nico O’Reilly took advantage of a lapse in Everton’s defence to score the opener, and Mateo Kovacic soon added a second.

Next up for Everton is a trip to face Chelsea. Fortunately for the Toffees, their Premier League safety was confirmed last weekend, removing any pressure of relegation.

This gives David Moyes the opportunity to perhaps tinker with tactics or give different players a chance to impress.

Still, he’ll want to maintain competitive standards, even with nothing major left at stake this season.

On the other hand, Chelsea have plenty to play for. The Blues are in a tight six-way contest for a Champions League spot.

Currently sitting sixth in the table, they trail fifth-placed Newcastle United by just two points, making every game crucial.

Everton, however, could relish the chance to play spoiler. Their earlier encounter this season ended in a 0-0 stalemate, and while Paul Merson isn’t expecting a goal-filled match this time around either, he does see Chelsea edging it.

Predicting a 1-0 win for the hosts, Merson told Sportskeeda: “It’s surprising how long it’s been since he’s scored, but top players always find a way.

Chelsea will face a tough test against Everton, who are never easy to beat. Still, I think Chelsea will just about scrape a win.”

As for the historical context between the two clubs, it’s been fairly balanced. According to 11v11, Everton and Chelsea have faced off 193 times.

Chelsea hold the advantage with 76 wins to Everton’s 60, while 57 matches have ended in draws.

Recent form slightly favours Chelsea. Everton haven’t beaten them in the last two meetings, and the last game at Stamford Bridge was a one-sided affair, with Chelsea running out 6-0 winners.

Though Everton are safe, Moyes will still be expecting full effort from his players, especially against a side with so much still to play for.