Chelsea v Everton: In-form hosts ready to ruin Lukaku’s return
Published:
Whisper it quietly, but after a September slump, Chelsea are arguably the Premier League’s in-form side and the Blues look well poised to maintain their place in the title chase when Everton visit Stamford Bridge.
Antonio Conte’s charges responded to a winless September by winning all four Premier League ties in October.
Factor in their perfect August, and the Blues are seven from seven in matches outside of the seemingly-jinxed September.
That doesn’t bode well for Everton then, who must try and defeat a side which hasn’t conceded in 360 minutes of football.
Chelsea may have come unstuck to the Toffees last term, but the 11/20 odds for a home win suggest that trend won’t be continuing.
Ronald Koeman’s charges, though they sit in an impressive sixth place, actually head to the capital with just one win in five games, and that was against defensively vulnerable West Ham.
That run, coupled with the fact Everton hasn’t won in west London since 1994, goes a long way to explaining their 11/2 odds for victory.
The hosts may have won their last four games to nil, and even though they’ve conceded just three goals at home this term, it will be a surprise if Thibaut Courtous keeps another clean sheet here.
A whopping 13 of the last 19 meetings between these sides in all competitions have seen both teams find the net, and 8/11 suggests they’ll do so again.
Chelsea’s revival has coincided with Diego Costa getting back among the goals.
The fiery Spaniard leads this season’s goal chart with eight strikes, so it’s no surprise he tops the first goalscorer betting at 3/1, with 5/6 saying he tucks one beyond the Everton defence anytime.
Eden Hazard is another man replicating his scintillating form of two seasons ago, and the Belgian wizard is 9/2 to score first and 7/5 at any point on Saturday evening.
But in Romelu Lukaku, Everton will always have a chance.
Hazard’s international team-mate stole the show when these sides met in the FA Cup semi-finals last season, and at 7/1, plenty will be fancying the powerhouse striker to make a statement in front of his former employers with the first goal.
With Kevin Mirallas and Michy Batshuayi also in contention, we’re 2/5 the game sees any Belgian player score.
Even if Lukaku comes back to haunt his old club however, Chelsea’s current run of form and Everton’s woeful Stamford Bridge history suggests Conte’s men should be making it five wins on the spin this weekend.
–
Plus, having a bet on the big Saturday lunch-time game?
Bet £20 In-Play on Chelsea v Everton and get a free £10 In-Play Bet on Arsenal v Tottenham!*
Mobile or Tablet only. Minimum odds of 1/2. See below for full Terms and Conditions.
1. Place a bet of £/€20 or more in-play on Chelsea v Everton (KO 17:30) on Saturday 5th November at minimum odds of 1/2. You will then receive a free IN-PLAY bet of £/€10 to redeem on Arsenal v Spurs on Sunday 6th November).
2. In-play bets that are Cashed Out will not qualify for the offer.
3. Provided you place a Single in-play bet of £/€20 or more on Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur which meets the qualifying criteria, you will then receive the £/€10 free bet, regardless of other in-play bets placed on the game.
4. Offer is available to new and existing MOBILE OR TABLET CUSTOMERS ONLY. Offer does NOT apply to customers betting online, through sms, via telephone or to shop customers.
5. Only one in-play free bet value issued of £/€10. One per customer.
6. The £/€10 free bet will be paid into your account at the kick-off of Arsenal v Spurs.
7. You must be aged 18 years or over to bet and participate in this promotion.
8. Void bets do not count.
9. Bets placed with Free Bets do not count towards the offer.
10. Free Bets can be redeemed through Online, Mobile or Telebetting.
11. The Free Bet can only be redeemed on an in-play bet on Everton v West Ham.
12. Free Bets must be used in their entirety as a Win Single and cannot be split into multiple stakes. A Free Bet cannot be partially redeemed. If you attempt to place a bet for a lesser total stake than the value of your Free Bet, the remaining value of the Free Bet will be void.
13. Free Bets are non-refundable. Stakes will not be returned on winning bets placed with Free Bets.
14. Free Bets cannot be redeemed on any other online product or event including other Football events.
15. Redeemed Free Bets will not count toward qualification to view streamed events.
16. Free Bets do not count towards qualifying for any other promotional offers.
17. Bets placed on Ladbrokes Exchange do not qualify for the promotion.
18. Ladbrokes reserves the right, at its discretion, to exclude individual customers from this and other promotions, including money back and Free Bet offers.
19. Ladbrokes accepts no responsibility for system or connection problems that might affect any end user during the promotion.
20. Offer is open to customers living in the UK and Republic of Ireland only.
21. Ladbrokes may determine at its sole discretion whether it believes different entries or accounts are connected to the same person, using whatever methods it deems appropriate.
22. In the event of a breach of these terms and conditions, Ladbrokes reserves the right to take such action as it deems appropriate in its absolute discretion.
23. The promoter is Ladbrokes Sportsbook LP, a limited partnership registered in Gibraltar, number 44, whose registered office is 57/63 Line Wall Road, Gibraltar.
PLEASE BET RESPONSIBLY. gambleaware.co.uk
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
