Everton team news ahead of the Premier League clash against Chelsea.

David Moyes will be preparing for a change of defence when Everton head to Chelsea on Saturday.

Given how James Tarkowski pulled up in the 2-0 defeat by Manchester City, there appears a slim chance he has avoided a period on the treatment table. Clubs are cautious with even minor hamstring injuries. The way that Tarkowski pulled up early in the second half suggested he’s set for an absence.

Moyes admitted that the void of Everton’s captain was felt. Everton were matching City until his issue, with the game goalless. For the first time since Tarkowski joined from Burnley in the summer of 2022, he could miss a Premier League game. The 32-year-old has started 111 successive league games but Wayne Bridge’s record of 114 appears safe.

Moyes opted to bring on Michael Keane in the place of Tarkowski. But he could instead decide to move Jake O’Brien from right-back to his favoured role to partner Jarrad Branthwaite. Moyes has three full-back options in Nathan Patterson, Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young to select from.

In addition, there will be another switch from starting line-up that was named against City. Everton will travel to Champions League-chasing Chelsea without Armando Broja. The striker is on loan at Goodison Park from Stamford Bridge - and Premier League rules permit him from featuring against his parent club.

In truth, it has been a disappointing loan spell for Broja. He arrived at the 11th hour on summer transfer deadline day with an achilles injury. While Everton did not pay his wages until fit, it took him three months to get up to speed. Broja did show flashes off the bench after recovering but was forced off with a back problem during a 1-0 defeat by AFC Bournemouth, which was former manager Sean Dyche’s final game.

Then in a 2-0 win over Peterborough in the FA Cup, Broja sustained ankle ligament damage and had to be stretchered off. The Albania international did return a few weeks ahead of schedule. He made three substitute appearances before starting the past two games. Moyes has wanted to have a look at Broja. While it’s unlikely Everton will be taking the option to sign him permanently for £30 million, the Goodison supremo may well have wondered whether another loan could be possible.

Broja featured for 64 minutes against Nottingham Forest and then was withdrawn on 63 minutes in the City game, having been subdued. It is likely that Beto returns to spearhead Moyes’ attack against Chelsea while Youssef Chermiti will return to the bench, having been omitted against City. Moyes had more than 20 senior players to select from.

Meanwhile, Dominic Calvert-Lewin continues to work his way back from a serious hamstring injury picked up in January. Moyes is hopeful the centre-forward will be back before the end of the season. Jesper Lindstrom had an operation earlier this month for a hernia. The on-loan Napoli winger is also likely to miss the remainder of Everton’s games. Orel Mangal, on loan from Lyon, suffered an ACL injury in January and will not feature again.