Tune in at 8:30 AM ET as Everton takes on Chelsea. Rob Sturney will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
I'm Rob Sturney here with The Score's ongoing coverage of the EPL during this busy holiday season. Today we have the 6th place team Everton hosting the fourth place squad Chelsea. The Toffees will be out to prove to Rafa Benitez that they aren't a "small club".
The Toffees are unbeaten at Goodison Park since March. They've won the the last three at home versus Chelsea. They'll have to do it without Fellaini today.
Lineups: Everton: Howard, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Jagielka; Naismith, Pienaar, Hitzlsperger, Osman; Jelavic, Anichebe
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Cole; Luiz, Lampard; Ramires, Mata, Hazard; Torres
Gibson avoided a red card suspension, but couldn't fight injury, so he's out, as is Neville. So Heitinga comes in at centre-back and Naismith enters the midfield.
Oscar and Moses start on the bench while Mikel's knee prevents his participation. Hazard, Ramires and Mata are the 3 in the 4-2-3-1.
Chelsea have won their last three over Sunderland, Aston Villa and Norwich. The Toffees are also undefeated in their last three, having drawn with Stoke before beating West Ham and Wigan.
After this match, Chelsea will have a game in hand on the other teams in the top half of the league except for Arsenal.
Anichebe has been struggling with consistency. Jelavic leads today's Everton starters with six goals.
Torres has seven goals. It's not quite top of the league, but Chelsea supporters will be relieved that he's scoring more this season.
Benitez, of course, still has Terry out with a knee injury.
Moyes has Hibbert out with a hamstring injury and Mirallas unavailable because of a hurt calf.
We're close to the kickoff at Goodison Park. Liverpool and QPR launch later.
It looks like another month.
Yes, he's got to do a lot if he's interested in stopping the mean-spirited chants by his own supporters.
Everton are clad in their traditional blue jerseys and white shorts. Howard is in all green.
Chelsea look to be sporting their away kit of white with a sky blue sash on the jersey. Cech wears a neon yellow shirt and black shorts.
The teams enter the field. By George, it looks like Howard Webb.
The teams gather at the centre circle for a moment of remembrance for former Everton members who have passed away over the last year.
So Chelsea will be attacking from left to right in the first half. Left to right. Everton kicks us off.
1 min: Distin takes an early free kick in his end. The ball rattles around until Chelsea get ahold of it. OH!
GOOOOOAALLLL! Pienaar! It's that man Pienaar just over a minute in!
Anichebe headed off the upright, the ball bounced to the South African who slots it away.
3 min: Baines started it all off with a pass from the back that released Naismith on the right side. The Scot's cross reached Anichebe at the far post, came off the post and was dispatched by Pienaar.
4 min: The Toffee fans, of course, are delighted at jumping out of the gate.
5 min: Lampard clubs the ball forward only as far as Heitinga. Ramires takes a throw in. Another poor pass concedes possession back to Everton.
6 min: It's all very unsettled right now as the teams cancel each other out in the middle of the park.
Don't know what you're on about, but it's got nothing to do with me.
