Chelsea can't afford a slow start Saturday when it visits Goodison Park to face nearly-relegated Everton in its 2022-23 English Premier League season opener. The Blues finished third in the Premier League table last season, but they had a rough preseason that drew heavy criticism from manager Thomas Tuchel. They also face a tough run of games coming up, with Tottenham next Sunday and Leicester, West Ham and Liverpool also on deck. The controversy surrounding the sale of the club from under Russian billionaire Roman Abromovich and the ensuing management upheaval has left the Blues struggling to add reinforcements in the transfer window.
Still, they face an Everton squad that finished 16th in the table last season, hanging on with a critical 3-2 win against Crystal Palace in its second-to-last game. Manager Frank Lampard, a Chelsea legend, is already missing star striker Domnic Calvert-Lewin to yet another injury. Still, Everton took a win and a draw in the two meetings last season, and a key addition on the back line could help the Toffees slow a Chelsea team that lacks a fear-inducing scorer.
Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m ET in Liverpool, England. Chelsea is the -175 favorite (risk $175 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in the latest Everton vs. Chelsea odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Everton is a +550 underdog, a regulation draw is listed at +285, and the over-under for total goals scored is set at 2.5. Before making any Chelsea vs. Everton picks, be sure you check out the English Premier League predictions from proven soccer insider Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been stunningly accurate. Green has generated almost $35,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season, and he has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Now, Green has broken down Everton vs. Chelsea from every angle and just locked in his picks and Premier League predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Green's picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Chelsea vs. Everton:
- Everton vs. Chelsea spread: Chelsea -0.5 (-170)
- Everton vs. Chelsea over-under: 2.5 goals
- Everton vs. Chelsea money line: Everton +550, Chelsea -175, Draw +285
- EVE: Dwight McNeil shared the EPL lead for crosses into the penalty area (26) last season
- CHE: Raheem Sterling tied for second in expected goals per 90 minutes (0.61)
- Everton vs. Chelsea picks: See picks here.
Why you should back Chelsea
The Blues will be relieved to just focus on the task at hand after the tumultuous offseason. Their preseason performance was up and down, but Tuchel should have the team ready to go. New addition Raheem Sterling, who scored 13 goals for Manchester City last season, should make an immediate impact. His quickness, along with that of Kai Havertz (eight goals in 2021-22) can cause a lot of problems for defenders, and Mason Mount is one of the league's top playmakers.
Mount led the team with 11 goals and 10 assists last season. He and Sterling have a strong relationship from playing for the England National Team. New defender Kalidou Koulibaly has a similar bond with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, his teammate with Senegal. Mateo Kovacic (five assists) and N'Golo Kante (four) are back to run the midfield, and defender Reece James (nine assists) is a playmaker. Chelsea had 81 and 79 percent possession in the past two meetings.
Why you should back Everton
The Toffees are 3-3-2 in their last eight meetings with Chelsea, managing to score twice over the past two games despite having less than a quarter of the possession. Chelsea's defense looked vulnerable at times in the preseason, especially in a 4-0 loss to Arsenal. Demarai Gray (five goals, four assists last season), and Anthony Gordon (four, two) could find room to operate. Dwight McNeil was one of two key signings from Burnley, and he had seven goals and 17 assists in four seasons there.
The other signing should have an even bigger impact, with James Tarkowski adding a commanding presence on defense. He was second in the league in blocked shots with 92 for the Clarets last season. Tarkowski should help a team that allowed 35.3 percent of opponents' shots to find the target (fourth-worst in EPL). That should benefit goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who had a 65.9 save percentage, more than five percent worse than his 2021-22 mark. He was sixth in the EPL with 114 saves.
How to make Everton vs. Chelsea picks
Green has scrutinized Chelsea vs. Everton from every angle, and he is leaning under on the goal total. He also provides three confident best bets, including one that would return plus money, and has a full breakdown of the match. He's only sharing his Premier League picks here.
So, who wins Chelsea vs. Everton on Saturday? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Everton vs. Chelsea, all from the European soccer expert who has generated almost $35,000 for $100 bettors over the past four seasons, and find out.
