Forgotten Everton man in contention to make only third league start in almost as many years at Chelsea

Rafa Benitez bids to ease some of the pressure on his position as Everton manager this evening.

The Toffees boss has come under mounting scrutiny after collecting just four points in the past 10 matches.

A growing number of fans have called for Benitez's head and now he now faces the challenge of turning around free-falling Everton's fortunes.

Chelsea isn't exactly the place any boss who's under the microscope wants to go, though.

Thomas Tuchel's side are many people's fancy to win the Premier League title and boast some of the world's elite.

Injury problems

If you’re travelling to Stamford Bridge, you want all of your key players available. Even then, it’s stiff task.

The Blues, however, may have as many as six regular starters missing in the capital. Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend are all confirmed absentees.

Meanwhile, captain Seamus Coleman, who suffered an injury in the 3-1 loss at Crystal Palace last Sunday, is a major doubt.

To compound the situation, Lucas Digne -who was set to be recalled after being omitted for the past two games - has pulled out because of illness.

It leaves Benitez struggling in the full-back areas - which is what no-one wants against an outfit as potent and ruthless as Chelsea.

As a result, Ben Godfrey will likely continue in a left-back role, having played there during Digne's exile following his off-field problems with Benitez.

Return of forgotten man

And if Coleman isn't deemed fit enough to feature then a forgotten man looks set to come in at right-back.

Jonjoe Kenny has fallen well down the pecking order at Goodison Park, having promised to become a first-team regular earlier in his career.

Should he replace Coleman in the capital, it will be just his first Premier League start in more than a year - and third in almost a three-year period.

Certainly, the homegrown defender has had a few turbulent seasons after once being highly regarded.

The 2017-18 campaign represented a breakthrough for Kenny as he made 25 appearances in all competitions.

The following term, he played 13 times, with his final start that year coming in a 3-2 loss to Newcastle in March 209 before representing England under-21s at the European Championships.

Mixed fortunes

However, since then, Kenny's failed to catapult himself into the first-team regular he was promised to become.

In 2019-20, he was loaned to Schalke to enhance in development.

On the face of things, you’d thought that would exactly been the case. Kenny played 34 times as David Wagner's men clinched a respectful 12th-place finish in the Bundesliga and he was a fans’ favourite.

Kenny would have been buoyed by that experience featuring in the German top flight week in, week out when he returned to Merseyside. Aspirations would have been to nail down a starting spot at Everton.

But the 24-year-old has subsequently been a bit-part player, at best.

He made only eight outings last season under Carlo Ancelotti, with his last Premier League start a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle in November 2020.

He was then shipped off on loan to Celtic in January where he had a less-than-memorable spell despite playing 16 matches.

The nadir was scoring an own goal in a 2-0 Scottish FA Cup loss to bitter rivals Rangers.

So it was another summer return to Goodison after a period away, only this time he found himself in a starkly contrasting position.

Right-back search

Everton, now managed by Benitez, were actively trying to find a new right-back during the transfer window. It meant Kenny was surplus to requirements.

Denzel Dumfries, Aisley Maitland-Niles and Nathan Patterson were all targeted to provide competition for Coleman - but none of them got through the door for various seasons.

It meant Kenny had to stay around as back-up, although chances have been restricted despite Coleman's performance levels wilting as he enters his twilight years.

Under Benitez, the formerWigan Athletic loanee has been surplus to requirements.

He's made two appearances in the Carabao Cup this term while his solitary Premier League cameo arrived in the final 10 minutes of a 3-0 loss at Aston Villa in December.

Still, in the potential absence of Coleman, Kenny looks set for a rare opportunity.