Sky and the Premier League have done their bit (along with Grant) to stifle our challenge by making us play 2 games in 3 days whilst the Mancs put their feet up for a week inbetween matches.

 Still, it really is quite astounding that Chelsea, with all the problems and injuries experienced are still within spitting distance of a team that is supposedly playing out of this world this season – just makes you realise what we might have achieved under even more normal circumstances?

The only thing I ask is that we don’t end up having to give another guard of honour to the Mancs at the Bridge again this season! 

We have the CL semi coming up as possible salvation for the season and it would be typical Chelsea, at their weakest and most confused state in years to get through that (and then make a pig ears of it in the final of course – probably self-inflicted!). 

Anyway… 

Everton, as we know are no mugs and Moyes has crafted a very well organised and difficult side to play against so this should be a very complicated fixture to expect to get 3 points out.  

The season is drawing to a close however, and most in the blue side of Merseyside may have well given up on that last CL place of 4^th spot – that and the potential wrath of a Chelsea team determined to make one last, decent throw of the dice may be enough. 

Moyes: 

"In a strange way maybe the pressure has relented a bit.  

"I think Manchester United will now win the Premier League and it's very difficult for us to make fourth position so maybe the game is gone as far as what both is 

"But Chelsea won't want to be caught by anyone from behind them and we have a job to at least hang on to fifth." 

Also in our favour is that the highly rated Mikel Arteta is doubtful and Leon Osman is at most 50/50. 

God knows what Grant is going to do – stubbornly stick to the 4-3-3 which has forced us to play most of the season playing with one leg tied behind our backs is a cert I suppose. 

Lampard?  His Mother was unfortunately taken seriously ill in hospital just before the Wigan game and Drogba hasn’t even trained due to a knee injury so we can almost expect us to be without their services. 

Grant has come out with the best comments he can muster – rather predictable, bland stuff as usual: 

"I will not give up until it is over and we will keep fighting - in football anything can happen.  

"But first we need to win, it's an important game and then we'll think about other things.  

"It's very difficult to play at Goodison Park, they are a good team and it's never easy to play them."  

Actually, thinking about it, I’m not very optimistic at all!

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