"That’s been the problem" - Peter Crouch makes big predictions for Chelsea vs Everton
Former Premier League striker Peter Crouch has backed Chelsea to pick up a confident win over Everton this weekend but believes they still lack firepower up top.
Graham Potter’s side will look to pick up their fourth consecutive win across competitions when they welcome Everton to Stamford Bridge on Saturday (18 March). The Pensioners are unbeaten in their last 27 home games against the Merseyside club, winning 15. Everton are winless against a London club in their last 11 matches, losing eight times.
Predicting the outcome of the clash on his PaddyPower blog, Crouch backed the Blues to maintain their winning run with a straightforward victory over Everton.
“Their [Everton] away form has been very poor this season, they’ve three draws and six defeats in their last nine away from Goodison. And Stamford Bridge is starting to look like a tougher place to go recently,” shared Crouch.
“I’d expect Chelsea to dominate this game and can see them winning comfortably.”
Crouch then highlighted Graham Potter's side’s biggest problem: scoring goals. He claimed that the Stamford Bridge club needed to shop in the summer to make the most of the excellent creators in the squad.
He added:
“They’ll need to find a striker in the summer because they’ve a lot of ability across the team, it’s just getting goals that’s been the problem. Kai Havertz is their leading scorer but he needs more around him.
“Others need to contribute – what the hell has happened to Aubameyang? And you’d probably have expected more from Raheem Sterling too. Joao Felix has looked class since coming in, and I really like him, but the goals haven’t happened.”
Crouch also backed Havertz to make a telling contribution in Saturday’s encounter.
“Havertz is still their biggest threat and should make a telling contribution on Saturday evening,” Crouch predicted.
Havertz has scored two goals in his last two games for Chelsea. Considering his red-hot form, it could be difficult for 15th-placed Everton to keep him at bay.
Steve Nicol claims Romelu Lukaku does not have a future at Chelsea
Former Scotland international Steve Nicol has claimed that Chelsea will not keep Romelu Lukaku at the club next season.
Lukaku, who is currently on a season-long loan at Inter Milan, has seen his campaign marred by poor form and injuries. The Belgium international has only scored five times in 18 games across competitions. As confirmed by Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta, the player will return to west London at the end of the season.
Considering his contract doesn’t end until June 2026, there is a chance that he could stay put in London. Nicol, however, is adamant that Lukaku will not have a place at Stamford Bridge. He told ESPN:
“No, absolutely not. No chance. He will not be at Chelsea at the start of next season. They will have to bite the bullet.”
Chelsea signed Lukaku from Inter for a massive £97.5 million fee in the summer of 2021. After a sub-par season, during which he expressed his desire to return to Inter, Lukaku was loaned back to the Milanese club without a purchase option.