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CHELSEA vs Everton: FA Cup Preview

FA Cup fourth-round replay

chelsea-1501everton-badge

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Date: Saturday, 19 February

Kick-off: 1230 GMT

Seeing as the last game against Everton was such an enthralling encounter I’m sure we’re all wetting ourselves in anticipation of today’s replay.

Just when we thought we’d found our ‘good moment’ a few weeks ago, along came Everton in the fourth round of the FA Cup and that brief ‘moment’ we had against Bolton turned into a split second. Didier’s sniper made a return and unfortunately the real Michael Essien didn’t. Saha did what we pretty much expect him to against us, whilst Salomon Kalou pulled off the unexpected and somehow got us a replay.

So, it’s the last chance saloon for us today if we’re going for a third successive FA Cup.

MANAGERS’ VIEWS

Carlo Ancelotti might have settled on just managing a place in the top four as far as the Premier League is concerned this season but doesn’t seem as blasé about the cup, stating “Now we’re fifth. That is our problem. We want to work to arrive quickly in the first four places. Is another competition and a different story. Did very well last year and won. Everton very difficult game. Every game against them is difficult. We want to win and do our best to move on and play Reading.”

David Moyes, on the other hand, is hoping the Champions League will take our eyes off the prize, saying “I think they are admitting that the Champions League is the thing they are aiming for. And I don’t think they have lost an FA Cup game for two or three years now. The league may be beyond them but they have a challenge to make sure they are in a Champions League position. Chelsea will want to be in there with those teams, certainly wanting to get to the final stages. I’m hoping that they’ve got that in mind and hoping that they are thinking about that more than my game.”


SQUAD NEWS

For Chelsea, Alex (knee), Benayoun (Achilles) and Bosingwa all remain out although Zhirkov (calf) could make a return after a 3 months absence. With Fernando Torres cup-tied, Didier Drogba is expected to start. John Obi Mikel could also return after his rest against Fulham although David Luiz misses out, courtesy of not being a Chelsea player before the original tie.

Everton will be missing Saha (hamstring) and Rodwell (groin) but Moyes otherwise has no new injury concerns.


TEAMS

CHELSEA (from): Cech, Ferreira, Terry, Ivanovic, Zhirkov, Cole, Mikel, Essien, Lampard, Ramires, McEachran, Kalou, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba, Turnbull, Sala.

EVERTON (from): Howard, Neville, Distin, Heitinga, Jagielka, Baines, Coleman, Cahill, Osman, Fellaini, Arteta, Bilyaletdinov, Beckford, Anichebe, Gueye, Baxter, Duffy, Silva, Mucha.


LAST MEETING

Everton 1-1 Chelsea (29 January 2011)


REFEREE

Phil Dowd


PREDICTION

The Toffees are unbeaten in four league and cup games against us and strangely enough, we haven’t beaten Everton since the 2009 final. Everton haven’t won away from home in three outings but then we’ve only won four of our last seven in all competitions and we’re chasing our first goal in three games.

As far as the FA Cup goes, we’re unbeaten in 15 ties and aiming to become the first club to win three successive FA Cups, since Blackburn in 1884, 1885 and 1886, whilst our opponents have won it five times, with the last once coming in 1995.

But will it be the magic of the FA Cup we see today or just another eyesore? I dread to think after the last game.

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