Everton vs Chelsea kicks off the Premier League Saturday on 17 October 2026, and I think it’s one of the more interesting fixtures of the weekend. Everton still haven’t lost a league game. Chelsea, on the other hand, score a lot and concede a lot. Something has to give. For us in South Africa, the game starts at 13:30, which is a pretty friendly time.
Kick off time and what is at stake
The whistle goes at 11:30 UK time. Convert that and you get 13:30 in South Africa. Everton are at home.
Look at the table and you’ll see why this one matters. Everton are fifth. Chelsea are sixth. Both have 10 points, so the winner pulls clear and the loser has to watch the other side move ahead. A draw leaves things exactly as they are. Simple enough.
Manchester City are top with 18 points, Arsenal sit on 15, and Brighton are third with 13. The gap isn’t huge. It’s October, but nobody wants to fall behind this early.
Everton: hard to beat
Six games, zero defeats. Two wins, four draws.
I’d call that a solid start rather than a spectacular one. Here’s the full run.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 August | Crystal Palace | Home | Won 2:0 |
| 29 August | Bournemouth | Away | Drew 1:1 |
| 6 September | Manchester United | Home | Drew 2:2 |
| 12 September | Tottenham Hotspur | Away | Drew 0:0 |
| 19 September | Ipswich Town | Home | Won 1:0 |
| 11 October | Hull City | Away | Drew 2:2 |
Eight goals scored, five conceded, and three clean sheets. That’s a defence you can trust. What I’d worry about, if I were an Everton fan, is the draws. Four from six is a lot of shared points. Some of those games felt like they were there to be won.
The latest was a 2:2 at Hull City on 11 October. A point on the road isn’t bad, but I suspect the players wanted more.
Chelsea: exciting, but a little loose
Chelsea are harder to read. Three wins, one draw, two defeats. They’ve scored 15 goals and let in 13. Honestly, you can’t look away when they play.
Here’s how their games went.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 August | Fulham | Away | Won 3:2 |
| 30 August | Brighton | Home | Won 4:3 |
| 6 September | Arsenal | Away | Lost 1:2 |
| 12 September | Hull City | Home | Drew 2:2 |
| 18 September | Brentford | Away | Lost 0:3 |
| 10 October | Bournemouth | Home | Won 5:1 |
The 5:1 win over Bournemouth on 10 October is the headline. It came after a 3:0 loss at Brentford, so credit to them for bouncing back that quickly. Players tend to carry that kind of result into the next match.
Three of their six games have had five or more goals in them. If you want a quiet 1:0, Chelsea probably aren’t your team. If you want drama, they’re easy to enjoy.
What the numbers suggest
The pre match model gives Chelsea a small edge: about 39.9 percent for a Chelsea win, 33.4 percent for Everton, and 26.7 percent for a draw.
Don’t take those numbers too seriously. They’re a snapshot, and football loves to ignore them. Everton are at home, and they’re the only side here that hasn’t been beaten. I wouldn’t write them off.
So here’s how I see it. Everton defend well but don’t always finish games off. Chelsea attack well but leave gaps at the back. One side is great at stopping goals and one side is great at scoring them. Who wins that argument? We’ll find out.
Why this matters for South African fans
Plenty of South Africans follow the Premier League closely, and Chelsea have a big supporter base here. A 13:30 kick off is easy to plan around. Get the shopping done, put the match on, and you’ve still got the rest of the afternoon.
It also matters for the bigger picture. Both teams are only a few points off City, Arsenal and Brighton. A win here would give one of them a real lift.
Next weekend is no gentler. Everton go to Arsenal on 24 October, and Chelsea host Tottenham the same day. A win today would make those games feel a bit less scary.
How to follow the match
For fixtures, tables and confirmed team news, the official Premier League website is the easy option. The official Chelsea site is useful too if you want club news. To actually watch, check your usual sports broadcaster’s schedule for the channel.
Line ups normally appear about an hour before the game. Take a quick look. A late injury can change everything.
What to expect
My guess? Everton stay tight, defend in numbers and try to catch Chelsea on the break. Chelsea will want the ball and will push people forward. If their back line gets stretched, Everton have a chance. If Everton miss their opportunities, Chelsea’s quality could settle it.
Everton vs Chelsea is a proper test for both. Everton need to turn all those draws into wins. Chelsea need to prove the Bournemouth win wasn’t a fluke. Slip up today and the top six gets crowded fast.
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