Everton vs Chelsea in Matchweek 7 arrives with a familiar selection twist at both clubs, and the biggest confirmed absentee is Reece James, who is unavailable after knee surgery. Everton, meanwhile, are still waiting on Jarrad Branthwaite after he picked up a knock last weekend.
That makes the predicted line-ups more important than usual. Chelsea are already planning without one of their regular options, while Everton have an obvious question mark at the back after Vitalii Mykolenko missed their match last weekend.
Reece James absence changes Chelsea's balance
James is the clear headline issue for Chelsea. His absence removes a player who can influence the game from right-back, both defensively and in possession, and it forces a different balance in how Chelsea approach the contest.
Chelsea beat Bournemouth last weekend, so there is no sense of crisis around the result. But in a match like this, losing a player of James's profile changes the shape of the discussion. The focus moves from who started last week to who is available now, and that is where the predicted XI becomes decisive.
Everton wait on Branthwaite
For Everton, the question is whether Branthwaite can be passed fit after the knock he suffered last weekend. If he is not ready, David Moyes will have to adjust the back line again, and that is never ideal before a Premier League home game against Chelsea.
Mykolenko's situation also matters. He missed Everton's match last weekend, and that leaves a possible gap on the left side if he is not involved this time. In a fixture of this size, even one defensive change can alter the whole plan.
The encouraging sign for Everton is that these issues are framed as doubts rather than confirmed long-term losses. But that still leaves room for late changes, and the predicted line-ups will need updating right up to kick-off.
For Chelsea, the absence of James is already confirmed. For Everton, Branthwaite remains the key doubt. That is the central team-news story heading into Everton vs Chelsea, and it could shape how both managers choose to approach Matchweek 7.
