After starting 2021 with only two wins in eight Premier League games, Everton’s chances of Champions League football seemed dead and buried, but following a three-game winning streak, Carlo Ancelotti’s men are on the brink of breaking into the top-four.
has been the key to recent success scoring in four straight matches, and the team will hope to lean on him again on Monday against Chelsea. Bookmaker 10Bet has the odds at 4.50 for the Brazilian to score again while Chelsea are heavy favorites for the clash with the odds for a home win at 1.55
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 7th, 5:00 P.M. (EST)
Richarlison scored 13 league goals in each of the previous two seasons, so it was only a matter of time before he started to bang them in regularly again although Ancelotti must have been very worried when he saw the Brazilian go eight straight games without a goal before finally netting his third marker of the season in a 3-1 loss to Manchester City on Feb. 17.
Everton had a lot of success early in the season with Dominic Calvert-Lewin starting off in hot form, but 10 of his 13 Premier League goals came in the first nine games and the team has been desperate for another reliable goal-scorer.
Now, the Toffees finally have another option upfront, which should help them stay in the top-four race until the end of the season. Although even getting back into the Europa League would be seen as a big accomplishment by a side that has finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table three times in the last six years.
“We are in the fight but you need to sacrifice until the end,” said Ancelotti following last Thursday’s 1-0 win over West Brom.
“The dream is the Champions League. It would be fantastic to follow this dream. It’s a step in the career of everyone.”
To reach the Champions League dream, Everton has to outbattle one of the league’s perennial Champions League sides in Chelsea. The Blues are fourth right now with 47 points, but Everton sits just a point behind and has a game in hand.
Everton are looking for a 10th away win of the season on Monday, which would set a new club record, but they have to break an incredible 25-game winless run at Stamford Bridge to make it happen. Chelsea has 14 wins during the streak, and Ancelotti was just a couple of years removed from his playing career when Everton last tasted victory at the Bridge in 1994.
Chelsea also haven’t lost any of their 10 games with Thomas Tuchel at the helm, so Richarlison and Everton have to be at their very best to pull off a very valuable victory.
