Everton aiming for second straight home win when Chelsea visit Merseyside

Everton haven't won two consecutive home games for so long I can't remember when it last happened. Can they finally manage it tomorrow?

The Toffees home form has been a problem for a while now but Thursday's 3-0 win hopefully went a long way to banishing those blues at the Grand Old Lady.

Sean Dyche's men had plenty of first half chances and after failing to take them they were in danger of seeing the game and possibly the points slip away.

In the end the Blues found a way through and those goals sealed a fine win over a team that has had something of a mini-hoodoo over Everton recently.

Now comes a game against a team that has been struggling for consistency after a poor start to this season under the latest manager to take up the reins at Stamford Bridge; Mauricio Pottechino.

Chelsea have abundant talent thoughout their squad, but have been unble recently to find a way to mold it all together effectively. Pottechino has as yet not managed to do that either.

Overall the West London Blues have been very erratic but have had a few good results away from home.

That of course is a bit like Everton who's best results as we all know have been away from Goodison Park this season.

Chelsea score plenty but also concede a lot too with twenty-six goals scored only two more than they have let in.

The Toffees not only bagged three goals but also didn't concede again for the second week in a row and that defensive effort is going to prove crucial to their hopes for the rest of the season.

In central defence James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite have cemented a rock solid partnership which has proved a strong foundation for Everton's improvement under Dyche.

So far this season despite some poor results, Everton have only let in twenty goals and just five sides all of them in the top half: Arsenal, Liverpool Manchester City, United and Newcastle, have conceded fewer.

One issue that has become a slight worry for me though is the lack of goals recently from Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Blues first-choice centre-forward hasn't found the net since the end of October at West Ham.

That is why Beto finally opening his account against the Magpies was so significant. The Portuguese striker hadn't managed any Premier League goals for the club he signed for last summer until Thursday.

I'm sure Calvert-Lewin will still start against Chelsea tomorrow and that is the right call as he is the best all-round forward in the squad. But at least Dyche knows that he has a back-up now who has found the net and should have more confidence too.

As for other selection decisions I would like to see Nathan Patterson get the nod at right-back, something I have argued for on several occasions.

He came on against Newcastle when Seamus Coleman had to go off only an hour into his return from recent injury.

The young Scottish right-back then suppplied the pass for Beto to collect the ball and run on before slipping the ball under the Magpies keeper for his goal.

Other than that I would be inclined to stick to the same team that won in mid-week. Jack Harrison playing in a number ten type role also proved effective as he was quite heavily involved and influential, more so than he ahs generally been on the wing.

Can Everton win this game?

Yes, particularly as the Londoners don't tend to do well on Merseyside. But they are a good side on their day and I think the visitors will score so the Toffees will need to have their shooting boots on and take their chances.