Big boos for Jordan Henderson as his name is read out on the tannoy.

Back at his rival club, it was always going to be a frosty reception.

Pat Nevin
Former Everton and Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

You usually build from the back but Chelsea have built from the front and got the front three right.

It's a back three and certain centre-backs are good in a back three and sometimes it's much easier to play because your mate will cover you because you're not a two.

But sometimes it can leave gaps and that's what's been happening at Chelsea quite a lot. So people have been saying what's the answer? I think the answer was probably Caicedo - he's the guy, he will cover in that area and see the danger.

Image source, Getty Images

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football reporter at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Chelsea defender Pep Chavarria travelled with the squad today but didn't make it through a minor niggle.

The Spanish summer signing had started the last two matches at left-wing-back but is replaced by Jorrel Hato today.

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

Chelsea are fast-starters, they come out of the traps and for this game that's what both teams have got to be aware of.

Chelsea will definitely want a quick start at Hill Dickinson where they don't usually play well against Everton, that early record against them isn't good.

Everton will want to make sure they don't allow that to happen and they get past that Chelsea burst.

Jordan Henderson started the season with new club Chelsea on the bench after fracturing his arm while at the World Cup.

But he has started Chelsea's last two games and, last week against Bournemouth, looked like a man reborn as he rolled back the years to bag two goals and an assist.

Involved from the start again today against former rivals Everton, can he have an impact?

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Chelsea have an in-form forward of their own in Joao Pedro, who has been involved in more goals than any other Premier League player so far.

The Brazil international scored twice as Chelsea put five past Bournemouth last weekend, taking his tally to five goals and three assists in just five matches.

Chelsea's triumph against the Cherries also underlined their current capacity to start quickly. The Blues have scored five goals in the opening five minutes of Premier League matches so far – 17 teams in the competition are yet to do so even once.

Chelsea, though, do not always travel well to the blue half of Merseyside. Their first game at Hill Dickinson Stadium last season ended in a 3-0 defeat, while they won on just one of their final eight visits to Goodison Park.

Everton

Everton boss David Moyes speaking to TNT Sports on whether his side have should more points so far: "[If] we took a few more chances and we hadn't conceded last week we'd have a few more points. But it happens in football, we've also come back last in games when we've been getting beat. That's football for you. Sometimes you think you should have more but when you look back on it maybe other times you could be a bit fortunate to get some points."

On Vitalii Mykolenko coming in at left-back: "He's the only natural left-back we have in the building at the moment, so great to have him back."

On Merlin Rohl returning to the starting line-up: "He gives me a little more speed and dynamism in some ways. We're up against a really good Chelsea team, especially in the front line so we might have to use Merlin in different roles as well. I felt he was the best man for the job."

Though they’re the third highest goal scorers in the Premier League this season, no side has conceded more so far this term than Chelsea (13).

The Blues have conceded in each of their last 22 league games, only once having a longer run without a clean sheet (31 games between November 1960 and August 1961).

It was a bleak start to life in the Premier League and English football for Thierno Barry last season - 41 games, six goals.

However, eight games into Everton's 2026-27 campaign and the Toffees forward already has six goals to his name.

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat about why he chose to post a video last month,, external of him breaking down during a private training session, Barry said: "People can say I miss a lot of chances, but I also create a lot of chances.

"Every fan counts on you to score goals, so imagine you didn't score for three months like me [last season] - it's difficult."

Barry has let fans see behind the scenes where he has documented solo training sessions and opened up about the pressure he feels being a Premier League player on his social media accounts.

"This season is more easy to switch because I know I have time on the pitch," said the Frenchman. "I think when I miss that chance, seven minutes later, I'll have another opportunity to score. That's a real pressure.

"When I come to the ball, in my head, it's like time stops."

David Moyes' main centre-forward overcame a four-game dry spell to score two goals in consecutive Premier League matches.

Everton

Image source, Getty Images

Jack Grealish speaking to TNT Sports on on Everton's unbeaten start: "Last week we could have won against Hull but we've had a good start, we're unbeaten, fifth in the league. We want to turn draws into wins and we are working towards that."

On stopping Chelsea: "We know it's going to be hard, especially against their front three in Morgan [Rogers], Cole [Palmer] and Joao Pedro. We have to concentrate on ourselves and think about what we are going to do with the ball. Fingers crossed."

On playing at home front Everton of fans: "It's always nice to be the early kick-off live on TV. Everyone wants to play in these games and perform well. We're all looking forward to it and hopefully we can give the fans a good day today."

Matt Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Everton manager David Moyes was critical of his players after they let a 2-1 lead slip at Hull City on Sunday but a draw at the MKM Stadium was enough to maintain Everton's unbeaten start.

This is just the third time in the Premier League era that Everton have gone undefeated in their opening six matches. Should the Toffees avoid defeat against Chelsea on Saturday, they would match the club's longest unbeaten start from the beginning of a Premier League season.

That run of seven games was set in 2006-07 when Everton would go on to finish sixth and qualify for Europe during Moyes' first stint on Merseyside.

The Scot targeted a return to European football last season and Everton were in contention for much of the campaign before falling just short. Their chances of achieving that ambition in 2026-27 may well depend on the goals of centre-forward Thierno Barry, who has scored six times, just two short of last season's total with at least 34 games to go.

The 23-year-old is playing in only his third season in an elite European league having joined Everton after one campaign with Villarreal and after netting against both Ipswich Town and Hull, he is vying to score in three successive matches at this level for the first time.

Everton remain one of three teams still unbeaten in the Premier League this season (along with Man City and Brentford), winning two and drawing four of their six games. Only in 2006-07 have they had a longer run from the start of a campaign in the competition (first 7).

Avoiding defeat today they would equal that record.

While that record is something to be pleased with, the Toffees will be disappointed a couple more of those results weren't wins.

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso, speaking to TNT Sports on last week's win against Bournemouth: "We needed a win but this was last week, one is not enough, we need to keep going, doing the right things, repeating and always improving game by game."

On Pep Chavarria dropping out of the squad: "He picked up a little problem yesterday. We are not certain yet of the situation because it was late yesterday. Jorrel [Hato] is fit, he's played there so just that change."

On Reece James injury impacting choices in midfield: "It makes it more limited but we have enough options. With Romeo [Lavia], with [Valentin] Barco, they have played and now we have Mo [Caciedo] back and [Jordan] Hendo so we have more options. But for sure it's a blow for everyone that we will miss Reece for the next weeks."

On Caciedo and Henderson's partnership: "Good first day for them together playing in the middle. They give balance, they give personality, they give stability in the middle of the team. They mix very well as well in terms of qualities and personalities and that's what we want for any team.

"They did really well but today we will need another big one in this stadium against Everton, tough opponent. They are in a good run so we are expecting a tough challenge."

On getting the right balance between attack and defence: "Always we try that but so far for sure we would have wanted to concede less. I'm sure that it will get better."

One name Chelsea fans will always be pleased to see on the team sheet is Joao Pedro.

The Brazilian has been involved in more goals than any other player in the Premier League this season (5 goals, 3 assists), registering at least two goal involvements in four of his five appearances so far.

Image source, PA Media

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

It feels like it has been a long time since Chelsea have enjoyed a period of such stability.

Xabi Alonso will travel to Everton having secured his biggest and most accomplished win, at least in terms of the score line, of his tenure so far with the 5-1 victory over Bournemouth.

Of course, in the Cherries manager's own words, Bournemouth did not turn up at Stamford Bridge, but there is no doubt the tweaks made over the international break have left the Blues in a better place.

One key talking point before Saturday's match, however, is the loss of captain Reece James to a knee injury that has required surgery.

The defender was injured in training before Chelsea's win against the Cherries last weekend, and the decision was taken for him to have surgery.

That is a blow, but the rest of Chelsea's squad appears to be in a good place.

Chelsea captain Reece James is set to miss three months of action after undergoing knee surgery.

The defender, 26, was injured in training before Chelsea's 5-1 win over Bournemouth last weekend, and the decision was taken for him to have surgery.

James is now undergoing rehabilitation with Chelsea's medical staff, with no time-frame given for his return.

You have to feel for James, he has barely made it through a season in his senior career without getting injured at one point or another.

He has missed several international tournaments with England since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, BBC Sport

Everton are still unbeaten and, as well as their results, they have really impressed me with the way they have played so far.

Bournemouth had a better xG than Chelsea last weekend, but lost 5-1. That game showed again how Xabi Alonso's side are going to be enjoyable to watch this season but very difficult to predict.

You just don't know what you are going to get with Chelsea at the moment but at least you know what to expect from Everton.

They are always so well organised and should probably have beaten Hull City last time out, with the number of good chances Thierno Barry had.

I can see them making things awkward for Chelsea and maintaining that unbeaten start.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1