Everton -Manager David Moyes is happy with how his players have shifted the expectations since his return to the club in January.
The Toffees travel this weekend to Chelsea on the back of a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City previous time-out, which was only their third competition since Moyes' reappointment.
For comparison: Everton had lost eight league matches prior to the arrival of Moyes, while they earned 21 of their 33 points in the 14 League matches among him.
“We have done a lot of good things and we get better. It says a lot that we are disappointed to lose 2-0 against Manchester City,” he told BBC Sport after the defeat of the city.
“I laugh a bit that people think we should be disappointed. I am, but we have to remember how good they are.
“It will always be difficult against Manchester City. We have done a lot of good things. We just miss that little bit to be really competitive. We just couldn't find a way.
“It is probably quality. Their Subs came up and helped them. I'm not sure if we had the same thing.
“We had to find a way to get a goal, but I really think the injury to James Tarkowski was a big blow to us. It looks like a hamstring injury, but what we don't know at the moment.”
Prepare for a trip to the capital. #Cheeve pic.twitter.com/ovxr1mwo56
– Everton (@EVerton) April 23, 2025
In the meantime, Chelsea comes into the game after having scored twice in the last seven minutes to win 2-1 to Fulham on Easter Sunday to keep their Champions League dream alive.
Enzo Maresca refuted all the suggestions of gorges with the players after he went straight through the tunnel after the last whistle instead of celebrating with the team and fans.
The Italian was booked on the sidelines after the winner of Pedro Neto, while Maresca pressed the need for a United Bond between the players and fans.
“I was happy because it is a nice feeling to win the game at the end, but I think it was a moment for the players because they deserve to celebrate with the fans,” said Maresca.
“That is why I left the field immediately. And when we scored the second, I celebrated and this was the reason that they gave me the yellow card, but it was a nice moment between the players and the fans to share that moment.
“I often said, the players must feel that support.”
Players to watch
Chelsea – Cole Palmer
Only against Brighton (five) has Palmer scored more Premier League goals than he has against Everton (four), with all four against the toffees who enter this exact fixture last season.
Despite 11 games without a goal, Palmer had 22 shots in his last six Premier League performances and he contributed two assists in his last three starts.
Everton – Iliman Ndiaye
This season, Ndiaye is Everton's top scorer with seven goals in the Premier League and nine in all competitions.
The Senegalese have registered eight shots in its last three starts in the competition, with his most recent goal in Arsenal earlier this month.
Match forecast: Chelsea Win
Chelsea is unbeaten in their last 29 Premier League home matches against Everton since a 1-0 loss in November 1994 (W16 D13). It is the longest unbeaten home run of the blues against an opponent in their competition history.
The blues are also unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches (W2 D2), from behind during the break to draw (2-2 V Ippswich) and Win (2-1 V Fulham), their last two.
This season, Chelsea has on average more shots per game than any other side in the Premier League (18.8). It is their highest at Stamford Bridge in one campaign since 2013-14 (19.6).
Only against Leeds United (36 between 1953 and 2001), Everton had a longer Winless Run in their competition history than their current run of 29 against Chelsea (D13 L16).
In the meantime, None of his 19 Premier League matches have won against Chelsea (D7 L12) – only the Scot itself (20 vs Liverpool) has often confronted on the road without ever winning.
Opta wins probability
Chelsea – 57.9%
Drawing – 22.5%
Everton – 19.5%