Friday, September 11, 2015

Everton - Chelsea Preview: Stones faces Mourinho's side for first time since transfer saga

Everton centre-back John Stones will face Chelsea for the first time since his summer transfer saga involving the Premier League champions.

Jose Mourinho’s side had three bids for the 21-year-old rejected in the transfer window, while the defender also had a transfer request turned down by the Toffees.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez has praised Stones’ mentality and revealed that he had even sung “Can’t buy me Stones,” – to the tune of The Beatles’ ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ – in the shower.

“John has gone from strength to strength in a period of high pressure and has used it in the right way, taking the support of everyone at the club and has performed with incredible maturity and composure,” said the Spaniard.

“The way he went away and performed for England in a very natural manner shows the calibre of player we have.”

Everton sit one point ahead of Chelsea in the table after Jose Mourinho’s men were beaten at home to Crystal Palace before the international break.

"They haven't reached that winning momentum of last season," Martinez said. "That's obvious. You can have the same players, way of playing and quality but you need that momentum and that comes with results.

"Their four games this season they've been small margins, except versus [Manchester] City [in a 3-0 defeat].

"I very much expect a strong Chelsea team with right approach, hitting the heights they hit last season when they won the league comfortably. We need to make sure they don't develop momentum against us."

Everton are without left-back Leighton Baines and midfielder Tom Cleverley due to ankle injuries, while Steven Pienaar has a hamstring problem.

Bryan Oviedo is a doubt with a knee injury but Darron Gibson has returned to training following a foot complaint.

Mourinho was understandably angered by his side's loss to Palace and, in the aftermath of that defeat, indicated his side will have a different look on Merseyside.

"If you ask me if I'm going to accept this, cross my arms, sit in a nice chair and wait calmly for the performance level to be back – no [I am not]," Mourinho said.

"I have to work, I have to react, I have to analyse, and if I feel the players are not in conditions to react and give more, I have to make changes.

"It is not about being loyal or not loyal, it is for me to analyse if they are ready to give an answer and try to fight against that bad individual form or not."

One of those changes is likely to come at goalkeeper, with Asmir Begovic in line to replace Thibaut Courtois, who picked up a knee injury in training.

It remains to be seen if Oscar and Ramires will return from unspecified knocks, while defender Papy Djilobodji could feature following his move from Nantes.

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