Chelsea will be looking to return to winning ways at Stamford Bridge this evening when they face Sean Dyche's Everton side, who are fighting for their Premier League status.
The Blues could only manage a 2-2 draw away at bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United last weekend, with Mauricio Pochettino's side throwing away all three points after a late goal from Oli McBurnie.
Goals from Noni Madueke and Thiago Silva saw the Blues lead 2-1 until the 93rd minute when the Blades' striker popped up to secure a huge point for Chris Wilder's men.
Chelsea now sit ninth in the Premier League, six points off the top seven, with Pochettino's side having two games in hand, one of which comes tonight at Goodison Park.
However, they will be without Axel Disasi, who hasn't trained since the draw in Yorkshire, with the Blues boss needing to replace him with one man if they are to claim all three points.
Disasi set to miss Everton clash
The game at Bramall Lane would have been a bitter pill to swallow for Pochettino's side after leading the encounter for such large periods, but they need to bounce back against the Toffees tonight.
However, the Blues may have to do so without two of their key players. Boss Pochettino confirmed that Enzo Fernández and Disasi were doubts for the clash in his pre-match press conference.
"We'll see. They are under assessment,” said the manager. "They have different types of issues. We don't believe they are big issues but we will see if they can be available.
"At the moment, they have not trained after Sheffield and that is why we don't know."
Disasi has enjoyed a brilliant run in the Chelsea team recently, starting all of the last 17 games for the club, but that run may come to an end given his current injury situation.
Chelsea can unleash "extraordinary" talent to ease Fernandez injury blow
Chelsea face an important clash against Everton on Monday evening.
ByRoss Kilvington
The Blues are already stretched for options, with the likes of Ben Chilwell and Reece James currently spending time on the sidelines. However, Pochettino must look to bring one player back into the side after being left out during the trip to face Sheffield United.
The man to replace Disasi against Everton
Fellow French centre-back Benoit Badiashile has endured a stop-start stint at Stamford Bridge during his time at the club, before starting to pick up some solid form in recent weeks.
He started two games in a row against Manchester United and Burnley, before dropping to the bench against the Blades.
However, given the club's latest injury blow, Badiashile should be brought back into the heart of the Chelsea defence with the 23-year-old boasting some impressive stats.
The "elite" talent, as described by scout Jacek Kulig, has averaged a 91% pass completion rate in the Premier League this season, as per FBref, with the centre-back also averaging 3.6 progressive passes from the back.
Badiashile's also won 2.2 aerials and 1.6 tackles per game with the defender showcasing his ability on and off the ball for Pochettino's side during 2022/23.
He's more than deserving of a consistent starting role without injuries, but given the club's desperate situation, the Chelsea boss must select Badiashile tonight, with the Frenchman capable of putting a consistent run of form together between now and the end of the season.
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