Emi Martinez’s amazing Everton record: Finally, Xabi Alonso can end nine-month Chelsea streak
It’s January 2026. Liam Rosenior has only recently taken over as Chelsea manager, and his first Premier League game is a home clash against Brentford. The Blues secured a 2-0 win.
Rosenior watched his Chelsea side keep just four clean sheets, with the others coming against Pafos in the Champions League, and then lower-league sides Hull City – at the time – and Port Vale in the FA Cup.
Indeed, the win over Brentford remains the last clean sheet that Chelsea have kept in the Premier League. A run of 22 league games under Rosenior, Calum McFarlane and Xabi Alonso without a clean sheet.
Emi Martinez’s record against Everton will give Xabi Alonso hope
Chelsea now go to Everton on Saturday afternoon, after a brilliant 5-1 win over Bournemouth. While they did concede, the Blues looked much better defensively with Moises Caicedo back in Chelsea’s midfield.
But it is Emi Martinez’s record that will give Alonso and Chelsea confidence when the Blues go to Everton. The World Cup winner has faced Everton on 12 different occasions, all of which have come in a Villa shirt.
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In eight of those 12 games, Villa and Martinez won. But there are two other stats from those 12 games that will give Alonso hope of a clean sheet on Saturday. Martinez has conceded just eight goals in 12.
A rate of just 0.66 goals a game. Given Chelsea have conceded 13 in six Premier League games this term, a rate of over two goals, Martinez’s form against Everton will convince Alonso that a clean sheet is close.
In fact, Martinez has kept a highly impressive five clean sheets in those 12 matches against The Toffees. Alonso will be hoping on Saturday that the former Arsenal shot-stopper can make it six clean sheets in 13.
Xabi Alonso could name an unchanged side for the first time
How can you change a side that beat a Premier League side, in European competition, 5-1? Caicedo is back, Jordan Henderson scored twice, Pep Chavarria covered 11.6km, and Pedro Neto is thriving.
Josh Acheampong was excellent, picked over Wesley Fofana. The other roles in the side are not up for debate, with Maxence Lacroix, Martinez, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and Joao Pedro set to start.
Marco Palestra will have to wait for a first start, with Pedro adapting well, both now ahead of Malo Gusto in the pecking order. But on Saturday, it is Martinez’s record that gives Chelsea hope of a clean sheet.
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