Everton F.C. vs Chelsea F.C. Lineups: Confirmed Starting XI and Subs

The Everton F.C. vs Chelsea F.C. lineups for their October 17, 2026, Premier League match featured Jordan Pickford in goal for Everton and Emiliano Martínez for Chelsea. James Tarkowski captained Everton, while Moisés Caicedo led Chelsea. Both sides started in a 4-2-3-1 formation at Hill Dickinson Stadium, where Chelsea claimed a 2–0 victory thanks to two second-half goals from Pedro Neto, as recorded in the official match report.

Everton welcomed Vitalii Mykolenko and Merlin Röhl back into their starting XI, while Chelsea brought Jorrel Hato into the defense. Here are the confirmed starting elevens, substitute benches, formations, and important selection decisions from the match.

Everton F.C. vs Chelsea F.C. Lineups: Match Details

Chelsea secured all three points in their away Premier League fixture against Everton on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Match detail	Information
Competition	Premier League 2026–27
Date	October 17, 2026
Venue	Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
Kickoff	12:30 p.m. BST / 7:30 a.m. EDT
Final score	Everton 0–2 Chelsea
Goalscorer	Pedro Neto (46′, 90′)

Everton F.C. Confirmed Starting XI vs Chelsea

Everton set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jordan Pickford in goal and James Tarkowski partnering Jarrad Branthwaite in central defense. James Garner and Harrison Armstrong formed the midfield pair, providing cover for the back four while helping Everton move the ball forward.

Everton Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1)

Position	Player
Goalkeeper	Jordan Pickford
Right-back	Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Center-back	James Tarkowski (Captain)
Center-back	Jarrad Branthwaite
Left-back	Vitalii Mykolenko
Central midfield	James Garner
Central midfield	Harrison Armstrong
Right wing	Merlin Röhl
Attacking midfield	Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Left wing	Jack Grealish
Striker	Thierno Barry

Thierno Barry led the attack, with Merlin Röhl and Jack Grealish operating on the wings. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall played behind the striker, linking midfield and attack. Everton’s confirmed team announcement also identified Mykolenko and Röhl as the two players returning to the starting lineup.

Everton Substitutes

Everton named nine players on the bench:

1. Mark Travers (Goalkeeper)
2. Jake O’Brien
3. Tyrique George
4. Tyler Dibling
5. Brennan Johnson
6. Christian Nørgaard
7. Charly Alcaraz
8. Hayden Hackney
9. Braiden Graham

Brennan Johnson dropped to the bench following Röhl’s return. Michael Keane, meanwhile, was not included in Everton’s matchday squad.

Chelsea F.C. Confirmed Starting XI vs Everton

Chelsea also began in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Emiliano Martínez starting in goal. Moisés Caicedo captained the visitors and played alongside Jordan Henderson in central midfield, while Cole Palmer took up the attacking midfield position behind João Pedro.

Chelsea Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1)

Position	Player
Goalkeeper	Emiliano Martínez
Right-back	Josh Acheampong
Center-back	Maxence Lacroix
Center-back	Levi Colwill
Left-back	Jorrel Hato
Central midfield	Moisés Caicedo (Captain)
Central midfield	Jordan Henderson
Right wing	Pedro Neto
Attacking midfield	Cole Palmer
Left wing	Morgan Rogers
Striker	João Pedro

Chelsea’s attacking lineup gave Palmer room to operate centrally, with Neto and Rogers offering options on either side of João Pedro.

Although the visitors began in a 4-2-3-1, they also moved into a 3-4-3 during the match. Neto’s movement between the right wing and right wing-back positions helped Chelsea adjust its attacking shape, a feature highlighted in the Premier League’s tactical analysis.

Chelsea Substitutes

Chelsea had nine substitutes available:

1. Mike Penders (Goalkeeper)
2. Wesley Fofana
3. Marco Palestra
4. Valentín Barco
5. Roméo Lavia
6. Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli
7. Estêvão
8. Geovany Quenda
9. Danny Welbeck

The bench included defensive reinforcements, midfield options, and attacking replacements. Mike Penders was Chelsea’s reserve goalkeeper and eventually entered the match after Martínez suffered an injury.

Everton vs Chelsea Formations and Key Selection Changes

Both managers initially used four defenders, two central midfielders, three advanced attacking players, and one striker. However, their selection decisions reflected different circumstances, particularly Everton’s returning players and Chelsea’s defensive injury concerns.

Everton’s Team Changes

David Moyes made two changes from Everton’s previous Premier League match, a 2–2 draw against Hull City.

Vitalii Mykolenko returned at left-back after recovering from a minor injury sustained while representing Ukraine during the international break. His return allowed Branthwaite to move back into central defense alongside captain Tarkowski.

Merlin Röhl was the other player brought into the starting XI, replacing Brennan Johnson on the right wing. The German midfielder was making his first start since suffering a knock the previous month.

With Keane unavailable, Moyes retained Tarkowski and Branthwaite as his central defensive partnership. Grealish kept his place on the left, while Barry continued to lead the attack.

Chelsea’s Team Changes

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso made only one change from the side that had beaten Bournemouth 5–1 in its previous league match.

Jorrel Hato replaced Pep Chavarría at left-back after Chavarría picked up an injury during training. Chelsea’s official starting lineup announcement confirmed that Hato was the only change.

Caicedo wore the captain’s armband because Reece James was unavailable. James underwent successful minor knee surgery after sustaining an injury in training, according to Chelsea’s medical update.

Henderson remained alongside Caicedo in midfield, while Palmer, Rogers, Neto, and João Pedro retained their attacking roles. Chelsea’s ability to switch formations during the match gave Alonso additional tactical flexibility without changing the original starting XI.

When Is the Next Chelsea vs Everton Match?

The next Premier League meeting between the clubs is scheduled for May 15, 2027, at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea will host Everton. The date appears in the 2026–27 Premier League fixture schedule, although kickoff arrangements and fixture dates can change.

As of November 7, 2026, neither club has announced its starting XI, substitutes, or formation for the return fixture.

Premier League lineups are normally released approximately 75 minutes before kickoff. Any team selections published before an official announcement should be treated as predictions rather than confirmed lineups.

The October 17, 2026 selections listed above are the official historical lineups from Everton’s 0–2 home defeat to Chelsea, not projections for their next meeting.

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