Predicted Chelsea team vs Everton – Mateo Kovacic decision taken, Romelu Lukaku handed start

Thomas Tuchel will meet Frank Lampard for the first time this afternoon at Goodison Park, but there will be little time for pleasantries between the Chelsea head coach and the man he replaced in the Stamford Bridge dugout 16 months ago. The importance of the fixture simply doesn't allow it.

Lampard is a Chelsea legend, the club's all-time leading goalscorer, and someone who will almost certainly be honoured with a statue outside of the Blues' home in the future. But this afternoon, he will be desperate for his Everton side to inflict defeat upon Chelsea and boost their ever-decreasing survival hopes.

Tuchel is certainly not expecting an easy encounter. "We need the points, and they need the points urgently as well," the German said during his pre-match press conference. "It is an exciting week for me personally. I love to play at Old Trafford [against Manchester United], and everybody tells me about the atmosphere at Goodison Park, how emotional and how tough it is to play there. This is what it's all about. I am excited to go there, and we expect a tough fight."

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Ahead of the contest, Tuchel was boosted by the returns of Andreas Christensen, Ross Barkley and most importantly of all, Mateo Kovacic to first-team training. The Chelsea head coach will have to decide whether any of that trio should be risked against Everton, who go into the contest five points from safety. Ben Chilwell (knee) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (achilles) will remain absent.

Chelsea do not have another game for six days after the clash at Goodison. It will likely enable Tuchel to go with his strongest side. That means Edouard Mendy keeps his place in goal