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Premier League Gameweek 33 concludes on Monday night as Chelsea welcome relegation-threatened Everton to Stamford Bridge.

After securing a huge win over Burnley last weekend, the Toffees were docked two more points following another breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

Still, Sean Dyche’s side are currently 16th in the table and two points clear of the drop zone having played a couple of games fewer than those below them. Both Burnley and Nottingham Forest mustered draws at the weekend amid their respective fights for survival.

Stamford Bridge was once a vaunted destination for visiting teams, but Dyche will fancy his chances of upsetting the odds against a frail and woefully inconsistent Chelsea side. The Blues followed up their dramatic 4-3 victory over Manchester United with a 2-2 draw at bottom dwellers Sheffield United last weekend.

Chelsea are ninth in the table and have an outside shot of securing some form of European football for next season. They also have a FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City in the offing.

Here’s 90min’s preview of Monday night’s game at the Bridge.

Chelsea vs Everton H2H record (Last Five Games)

Current form (all competitions)

Chelsea have been hamstrung by injuries all season and their list of potential absentees has only grown ahead of Everton’s visit.

Pochettino admitted in his pre-match presser he could be without Axel Disasi and Enzo Fernandez on Monday night after the pair picked up knocks during last Sunday’s draw at Bramall Lane.

Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling are battling illnesses and doubtful to feature, while Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Lesley Ugochukwu, Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill and Robert Sanchez are all out of action.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Everton (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gusto, Silva, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson.

Everton’s injury list isn’t anywhere near as extensive as Chelsea’s, but they do have a couple of notable concerns heading into Monday’s game.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has scored in Everton’s previous two games, is a doubt with a thigh injury, while Amadou Onana could miss out with a knock.

Arnaut Danjuma, Dele Alli and Lewis Dobbin are all unlikely to feature.

Everton predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-4-1-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Young, Gueye, Garner, McNeil; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin.

Chelsea could be further hamstrung by injuries on Monday but the potential absences of Calvert-Lewin and Onana should swing this contest in the hosts’ favour.

Another points deduction means Everton are in the mire once again, although their previous docking did spark an upsurge. They also bullied Chelsea in a 2-0 home win back in December.

There’s certainly an avenue for the visitors to get a result on Monday night, but the Blues are unbeaten in five across all competitions at home and Cole Palmer is never too far away from getting Pochettino’s side over the line.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Everton

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Martin Odegaard says Arsenal are eager for retribution against Aston Villa on Sunday after a defeat to the same opposition last year left them with ‘painful memories’.

John McGinn’s seventh-minute finish condemned the Gunners to a 1-0 defeat at Villa Park in early December and served as an early warning sign of the threat Unai Emery’s squad would pose this season.

Both Arsenal and Villa have defined aspirations with a handful of games left to play. The former are vying for the Premier League title while the latter remain resolute in their pursuit of Champions League football, especially given Tottenham Hotspur’s significant defeat to Newcastle on Saturday.

In his matchday programme notes on Arsenal’s website, Odegaard said: “It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of right now, involved in all these big games at this important time of the season. Every game means so much, every game is crucial and it’s what everyone wants, being there and fighting for the big trophies. This is where we want to be, so we’re enjoying it and embracing it.

“We have painful memories of our game away to Aston Villa earlier this season, because we feel we deserved much more than we got. I think we played a pretty good game there, but without getting anything. We know we can definitely build on that to get the result today, and use that game as an extra motivation for us.”

Odegaard also shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening, emphasising the emotions experienced and underscoring the significance of gleaning lessons from errors made in the Champions League.

“There were mixed feelings for us after the game on Tuesday night. For the way we played for most of the game and given how much of it we were able to control, I think we should have got the win. You know in the Champions League, playing against the big teams, you get punished for every mistake you make. That’s what we saw in that game, so that’s the level we are competing at, and that’s the quality these teams all have.

“You cannot afford to make those mistakes in this competition, but despite that, we managed to get a result out of it, and it’s still all to play for when we go to Germany next week. We have a good feeling that we can win it there, we are confident, so overall it could have been better on Tuesday, but at the same time it could have been worse, so it’s not too bad.

“To be honest though, right now all our focus is on facing Aston Villa today. It’s so close in the league, but all we can do is look at the next game, concentrate 100 per cent on what we have to do, and go out there to get the points. We need three points every time we play because that’s what the league is demanding right now. It’s so tight, so tough at the top and every game is crucial.”

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Real Madrid took another stride towards the La Liga title courtesy of Aurelien Tchouameni’s remarkable goal against Mallorca on Saturday evening.

Returning to his midfield role after deputising in central defence, the Frenchman unleashed a thunderous strike from 25 yards out, his shot ultimately deflecting off Manu Morlanes and soaring into the top corner.

Los Blancos lock horns with Barcelona at the Bernabeu next weekend and a victory would extend their lead at the top of the table to 11 points.

Here’s who Carlo Ancelotti will be depending on, according to 90min’s player ratings.

Aurelien Tchouameni – 8/10

An integral player at both ends of the pitch, the midfielder showcased his versatility and was a positive influence throughout the 90 minutes.

Returning to his natural position at the base of midfield, Tchouameni exuded confidence and control, dictating play with precision and authority. It was here that he truly flourished, orchestrating the team’s movements and providing a solid defensive shield.

His impact extended beyond the midfield too. When the opportunity arose, he seized it with aplomb, delivering the decisive opening goal that tilted the momentum in his team’s favour. With a combination of skill, determination, and tactical awareness, he found himself in the right place at the right time to win the game for his side.

Honourable mention

Jude Bellingham – 7/10

The Englishman infused the team with the necessary energy and determination to overcome a resilient Mallorca side.

He also nearly added another goal to his tally with one particular strike rattling off the crossbar.

Despite the near misses, Bellingham’s relentless drive ensured that his team remained a constant threat, keeping the opposition on their toes throughout the match.

Joselu – 6/10

Demonstrated proficiency in linking up with teammates and serving as a central focal point for Madrid’s offensive manoeuvres. However, the Spanish international struggled to pose a significant threat to Mallorca’s defence in the penalty area.

While Joselu’s contributions were valuable in building attacking momentum, he ultimately lacked the cutting edge needed to breach Mallorca’s resolute backline and create clear scoring opportunities.

Boss Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping he has his shooting boots on for the Barca clash.

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Alexis Mac Allister has urged his Liverpool teammates to respond from Thursday night’s 3-0 defeat to Atalanta when they host Crystal Palace on Sunday.

The Reds suffered a surprise thrashing at the hands of the Serie A outfit to leave their Europa League hopes dangling in the balance ahead of next week’s return leg.

Their attention this Sunday, however, turns to the visit of Palace, a team Mac Allister knows plenty about after his time on the south coast with Brighton.

Revealing the mood after Thursday night’s disappointment, the World Cup winner told Liverpool’s website: “There was not much to say – I think we all feel the same.

“It didn’t feel good during the game and it didn’t feel good afterwards. It’s as simple as that. We couldn’t do what we wanted, what we know. It’s credit to them [Atalanta] as well, they did a very good game.

“But now we have to react, we have an important game on Sunday against Crystal Palace. We will go there and try to win the game.”

Asked about the need for a big response, Mac Allister added: “Yes, of course. That’s what we want. What I don’t want is us to overreact or overthink about this game, it’s something that happened just once and we have to keep going.

“We are the same players, the same team, the same club, with the same fans.”

Liverpool trailed Palace in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park in December, but Mohamed Salah equalised a minute after Jordan Ayew was sent off for a second yellow card before Harvey Elliott struck the winner in second-half stoppage time.

Mac Allister added: “We all know how good they are. I played for Brighton, and Crystal Palace against Brighton is definitely a big game. So I know how tough they are.

“They have a new and good manager and they are doing well, so it’s going to definitely be a challenge for us. But I think if we are in a good day, we can win the game.”

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Arsenal have generally dominated their battles with Aston Villa in the Premier League era.

Despite the success the West Midlands side enjoyed in the early days of the competition, Arsene Wenger’s arrival swiftly changed the landscape of this fixture. In fact, between May 1999 and March 2008, Arsenal went 19 games unbeaten against Villa.

However, since the 1982 European Cup winners returned to the Premier League in 2019 after three seasons in the Championship, meetings have been far more competitive, especially since the appointment of former Arsenal boss Unai Emery at Villa Park.

Here is how the two sides have fared against one another over the past ten clashes.

Emery had Aston Villa supporters dreaming of a Premier League title during the first half of the 2023/24 season, with momentum hitting its peak in early December. Having just beaten reigning champions Manchester City 1-0 three days earlier, the Villans welcomed the previous season’s runners-up Arsenal to the Midlands.

It took just seven minutes for John McGinn to net a crucial and ultimately decisive opener, firing beyond David Raya from close range after Leon bailey’s cutback. Arsenal felt they should have had a late equaliser, but Kai Havertz’s effort was ruled out for a handball in the build-up.

The Gunners felt hard done by referee Jarred Gillett’s late call, but Villa didn’t care as they extended their home winning streak to 15 successive league games.

As they continued their fight for the Premier League title heading into the second half of the 2022/23 season, Arsenal faced a tricky trip to Villa Park. Emery was desperate to cause an upset during his first game in charge of Villa against his former side, and they were just minutes away from doing exactly that.

Ollie Watkins had fired the hosts in front after just five minutes, with Philippe Coutinho’s effort restoring Villa’s first-half lead following Bukayo Saka’s equaliser. Oleksandr Zinchenko brought Arsenal level for a second time, with late efforts proving the difference for Mikel Arteta’s men.

Jorginho’s long range strike crashed off the crossbar and went in off former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the third minute of stoppage time, with Gabriel Martinelli adding a fourth in the 98th minute after Martinez had joined the attack for a corner.

Back when Steven Gerrard resided in the Villa dugout, Arsenal welcomed them to the Emirates in just the fifth game of the 2022/23 campaign. It wasn’t a match to get pulses racing, but the Gunners came out on top as the pressure built on the former Liverpool captain.

It was the Brazilians who stole the limelight in north London, with Gabriel Jesus firing Arsenal ahead on the half-hour mark. Douglas Luiz then produced a remarkable equaliser directly from a corner, but it mattered little as Martinelli struck to secure the points for Arsenal 13 minutes from time.

The result left Villa 19th in the table after just one win from their opening five games. Gerrard would be sacked less than two months later.

Arsenal somehow didn’t qualify for the Champions League during the 2021/22 season, despite the fact that their victory over Villa in March of that campaign sent them six points clear of eventual fourth-placed finishers Tottenham.

The Gunners won a tight affair at Villa Park 1-0 thanks to Saka’s excellent low drive, with Gerrard’s men unable to fight back and earn a point. Arsenal’s young dynamo netted the Gunners’ 2000th Premier League goal in the West Midlands, although it wouldn’t mean much come the end of the season.

Going all the way back to the end of the Dean Smith era, it was another defeat for Villa against Arsenal. This one came just nine games into the 2021/22 campaign, and it was an incredibly one-way contest at the Emirates.

Arsenal took the lead after just 23 minutes through Thomas Partey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled the home side’s advantage moments before the break after converting the rebound following his own saved penalty.

Emile Smith Rowe secured the points with a third after half-time, with Jacob Ramsey’s late consolation strike not stopping Arteta’s side from picking up a routine three points on home soil.

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