Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as Chelsea host Everton at Stamford Bridge with both teams looking to reach the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.

Neither side have been in particularly great form over the last few weeks, and for Everton in particular this is a big match as they begin their post-Ronald Koeman era. Chelsea's only managerial situation has been in the headlines of late too, though, so they will be keen for another win tonight.

We will have a closer look at both sides a little later, but first let's check out the team news...

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Caballero; Rudiger, Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Ampadu, Kenedy; Willian, Batshuayi, Musonda

CHELSEA SUBS: Eduardo, Clarke-Salter, Sterling, Scott, Fabregas, Pedro, Morata

EVERTON STARTING XI: Pickford; Kenny, Williams, Jagielka, Baines; Davies, Baningime, McCarthy; Lennon, Rooney, Mirallas

EVERTON SUBS: Robles, Keane, Sigurdsson, Niasse, Calvert-Lewin, Holgate, Lookman

What can we make of those two teams, then?

Well, as expected there are plenty of changes for both teams as Antonio Conte and David Unsworth take the opportunity to rotate their squads in this competition. On Chelsea's part there are still plenty of quality players in the starting lineup and on the bench, but you'd say that 10 of those would perhaps not make it into Conte's first-choice XI.

The one exception in the starting lineup for Chelsea tonight is captain Gary Cahill, who retains his place in the back three alongside Rudiger - who also started at the weekend - and Christensen.

Indeed, it is the same back four, including goalkeeper Willy Caballero, which started the 5-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the last round, so Conte has seen them in action as a unit already this season.

There are changes elsewhere from that third-round victory over Nottingham Forest, though, and two of those come in midfield as Danny Drinkwater finally makes his debut for the club.

The England international midfielder has been sidelined through injury ever since his summer switch from Leicester City, but he is thrown straight into the starting lineup tonight alongside 17-year-old Ethan Ampadu, who came on as a sub against Forest.

Zappacosta and Kenedy continue on either flank having also started in the previous round, with the latter amongst the scores against Nottingham Forest on that occasion.

Indeed, all three of the goalscorers from that 5-1 win start again this evening, including Michy Batshuayi who netted a hat-trick to make it five goals in his four EFL Cup appearances for the club. Musonda was also on the scoresheet against Forest, but there is one change in that front three as Hazard drops out to be replaced by Willian.

As for Everton, it was always going to be interesting to see how strong a line-up David Unsworth named for this match, and the answer is fairly mixed.

Jordan Pickford, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Williams all start for the visitors tonight, but there is no place for the likes of Michael Keane, Gylfi Sigurdsson or Dominic Calvert-Lewin - the latter of whom scored twice in the last round.

Morgan Schneiderlin was thought to be back in contention for this match, but he misses out entirely tonight. There is a return for James McCarthy from injury, though, with the Republic of Ireland international throw in from the start.

He will play alongside Tom Davies and Baningime, the latter of whom is making his senior Everton debut tonight.

The Toffees still have a lengthy injury list with the likes of Barkley, Funes Mori and Coleman amongst those sidelined at the moment, and Idrissa Gueye is also unavailable tonight following his red card against Arsenal at the weekend.

In all, there are only five changes from that costly home defeat to Arsenal, with Keane, Sigurdsson, Gueye, Vlasic and Calvert-Lewin dropping out of the starting XI.

There looks like being a change of formation from Unsworth too, with a 4-3-3 system the most likely for Everton tonight considering the players they have selected.

Only three players have retained their place in the side from the previous round, with Kenny, Williams and Davies starting both games. Rooney looks set to play as the leading centre-forward, while it is good to see Aaron Lennon back in the starting lineup too.

An interesting selection by both managers, then, but even accounting for the fact that a new manager can often bring about an immediate upturn in a club's form, Chelsea will go into tonight's match as the clear favourites.

The Blues have not been at their very best the season, though, and while Koeman has already paid for poor form with his job, speculation continues to swirl around the future of Antonio Conte amid rumours of player discontent and homesickness.

Such speculation should be ludicrous - Conte just five months ago steered Chelsea to the Premier League title with a record-breaking 30 wins, after all - but you never know in football nowadays.

The title-winning manager has not lasted either of the previous two subsequent seasons, with Mourinho and then Ranieri getting sacked less than a year after guiding the team to the title and, while Conte has not quite plunged to the depths either of those two did, Chelsea's board are unlikely to hang around if there is a difficult decision to be made.

Chelsea already find themselves nine points adrift of early Premier League leaders Manchester City, and the way Pep Guardiola's side are playing you would think that the champions cannot allow that gap to grow much further.

There is still a long way to go, of course, but Chelsea have already found out the hard way that the Premier League title race could be ruthless this year - a couple of defeats and they already have a big mountain to climb.

It could have been worse for the Blues - they trailed Watford 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday having let an early lead slip and needed a comeback in the final 20 minutes to avoid a third consecutive Premier League defeat.

Instead, Conte's side picked up a 4-2 win which leaves them fourth in the Premier League table, although they have already lost three times this season and are three points worse off than at the same stage of the current campaign.

Considering Chelsea actually got off to a fairly shaky start to last season and relied largely on the incredible mid-season winning run to storm to the title, that will be a concern for Conte.

The Blues had been on an eight-game unbeaten run since their opening-day defeat to Burnley prior to their recent dip in form, and they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five games having kept four in their six before that.

Chelsea have also only won two of their last five home matches, and they have already been beaten twice at Stamford Bridge across all competitions this season - the same number of home defeats they suffered throughout the entire 2016-17 campaign.

Victory tonight would give them back-to-back home wins for the first time since September 12 and only the second time all season - although the previous occasion did include victory over Everton in the Premier League.

Chelsea have reached the last eight of this competitions in four of the past six seasons, but in each of the last two they have fallen at this stage - including a 2-1 defeat at West Ham last season.

The Blues have not made it past this stage since last lifting the trophy in 2014-15, which their fifth EFL Cup title in total. At home, Chelsea have won their last four EFL Cup games in a row since a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Swansea in the 2013 semi-finals.

Everton cannot match the League Cup pedigree of Chelsea having failed to ever lift this trophy, with their best previous performances coming when they were beaten in the 1977 and 1984 finals.

Indeed, the Toffees have not won a major competition of any kind since 1995, when current interim boss David Unsworth was amongst the playing squad as they experienced FA Cup glory.

While every Everton fan will be desperate to end that long wait for silverware, the club have some more immediate concerns right now - namely who is going to be their next manager.

Ronald Koeman saw his 16-month spell come to an end on Monday following their heavy 5-2 defeat at home to Arsenal a day prior, with the Dutchman leaving having won 24 of his 58 games in charge. Initially his appointment looked to be a good one, and with almost £150m spent during the summer transfer market some were tipping them to break into - or at least challenge for - the top six this season.

The Toffees have endured a dreadful start to the season, though, and it really wasn't a surprise when Koeman was finally given the boot - particularly given the nature of that defeat to Arsenal.

Everton come into tonight's match sitting in the Premier League's relegation zone and with only one point from their opening three Europa League group games, so the EFL Cup could well be their best remaining hope of silverware this season.

David Unsworth has been tasked with trying to continue their hopes in this competition, and the Everton Under-23 boss has already expressed his desire to land the senior role on a permanent basis too.

He is likely to have plenty of competition for the job, though, as the likes of Sean Dyche, David Moyes, Thomas Tuchel, Chris Coleman and even Carlo Ancelotti have been linked with the vacant post since Koeman's sacking.

Whoever does land the role, they will have an almighty mess to clean up - but also the squad with which to do it with. It was only a few months ago that many regarded Everton as top-six contenders, having finished seventh last term.

However, they are now winless in their last five matches across all competitions, including back-to-back home defeats at the hands of Lyon and Arsenal in which they have conceded seven goals. Looking even further back, the Toffees have won just two of their last 13 matches across all competitions.

Everton are also winless in their last six away matches across all competitions, and their record on the road so far this calendar year is diabolical for a team with their lofty ambitions.

A 1-0 Europa League qualifying win over Ruzomberok is their only away win in any competitions from their last 15 attempts - dating back to January - whereas their Premier League triumph at Crystal Palace in January is their only domestic away win of 2017 so far. They are winless in their last 12, losing half of those.

Everton have actually only lost two of their last nine EFL Cup matches, helped largely by a run to the semi-finals in 2015-16, including three of their last four EFL Cup away games.

However, of the last 14 times they have reached this stage of the competition, they have only progressed through to the quarter-finals twice - most recently in that 2015-16 season.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at Stamford Bridge, which means that it is time for a prediction!

This is quite a tough one to predict - EFL Cup matches always are due to the huge number of changes made by the managers, and Everton's situation makes it even more difficult to call. Chelsea's home advantage could prove key, though, and Everton arrive at Stamford Bridge very low on confidence.

SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Chelsea 2-0 Everton

Chelsea have certainly had the better of this fixture in recent years, scoring 10 goals without reply against the Toffees in their last three meetings - all of which unsurprisingly ended in wins for Chelsea.

The most recent of those was only in August, when first-half goals from Fabregas and Morata - both on the bench tonight - saw Chelsea pick up all three points here at Stamford Bridge.

Indeed, Chelsea's record against Everton at Stamford Bridge is an imposing one. They are without defeat here against the Toffees in any competition since November 1994 - a run which stretches back 27 matches and including 16 victories and 11 draws.

Everton did claim a penalty shootout victory in the FA Cup fourth round in 2011, sending them through to the next stage, but that is all they have had to cheer for a long time here.

This is the sixth time that these two sides have been drawn together in the EFL Cup, and Chelsea have progressed on each previous occasion - although two of those games did go to a replay.

The most recent EFL Cup clash also went all the way to extra time after Louis Saha had cancelled out Salomon Kalou's opener at Goodison Park, but Daniel Sturridge scored a 116th-minute winner to five Chelsea into the fifth round almost exactly six years ago today.

Right, we're only a couple of minutes away from kickoff now, so let's have a quick recap of the team news...

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Caballero; Rudiger, Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Ampadu, Kenedy; Willian, Batshuayi, Musonda

EVERTON STARTING XI: Pickford; Kenny, Williams, Jagielka, Baines; Davies, Baningime, McCarthy; Lennon, Rooney, Mirallas

KICKOFF: Here we go! We are underway at Stamford Bridge!

Everton have seen a decent amount of the ball in these opening exchanges. It will be interesting to see whether David Unsworth's style differs a lot from that of Koeman - fans will certainly be hoping the results change at least.

Better from Chelsea as they just begin to up the tempo a bit. Willian makes a dangerous break through the middle, but he turns back on himself and gives the ball away when looking for a teammate.

It has been a relatively even start to the match here, but the difference is that Chelsea are looking to get the ball forward quickly, whereas Everton look too scared to commit many men forward. You can tell there is a gulf in confidence between these two sides.

Everton win a free kick just inside the Chelsea half which Jagielka hoists forward to his centre-back partner Williams. Williams gets his head to it on the edge of he box, but can only head it downwards to a Chelsea player.

Almost a shooting chance for Batshuayi as he works a bit of space on the edge of the box, but that is quickly closed down and Jagielka blocks the subsequent effort from the Belgian.

It hasn't been the most enthralling 13 minutes so far - we are yet to have a shot of note at either end as these two sides continue to cancel each other out so far.

Chelsea are seeing the majority of the possession at the moment, but the end ball is lacking. Zappacosta almost provides a moment of inspiration, spinning away from a couple of defenders, but the ball had just gone out before he hooked his cross in.

Drinkwater looks to drop a long ball over the top as he did so often for Leicester, this time searching for Batshuayi. He puts just too much on this one, though, allowing Pickford to come and claim.

Everton are showcasing plenty of industry and desire, keeping their shape but also pressing when the time is right. Unsworth looks to have made a mark on the team already.

UPDATE: There has at least been a goal in the other EFL Cup contest taking place tonight, with Tottenham taking an early lead against West Ham through Moussa Sissoko. That one is an 8pm kickoff.

The quality just is not there in the final third for either side at the moment. We have had a quarter of this match now and we're still waiting for our first shot - not a classic.

Pickford comes a long way out of his area to deal with another Chelsea ball forward, and he gets there first to almost clear it out of the stadium.

Finally we have a shot - and wouldn't you know it, it provides a goal!

It is some header from Antonio Rudiger too, his first goal for Chelsea. Willian plays a short corner to Musonda, who whips a deep cross in towards the back post. Rudiger is stretching ever sinew to get there and somehow manages to pull off a perfect looping header over Pickford and into the far corner.

You will do well to see a better header than that in the EFL Cup this season.

YELLOW CARD! Williams goes into the book for a hefty challenge on Zappacosta, conceding a free kick in another dangerous crossing position.

We're half an hour into this match and that Rudiger header is the only real moment of quality we have seen so far. Everton have worked hard, but have offered no threat to Caballero's goal yet.

Everton have a half-chance to break as Rooney plays a good pass to Mirallas round the corner, but the Belgian's subsequent pass is behind Davies and the attack breaks down.

Painful one for Cahill as he gets caught late by his former England teammate Rooney, but there is no further punishment for the Everton man.

SAVE! Better from Batshuayi as he collects the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the box before holding off a defender and shooting on the turn. The effort is tame and easy for Pickford to gather, but it is at least a shot. We haven't seem many of them tonight.

Rudiger releases Zappacosta with a raking diagonal ball down the right flank, but the wing-back's subsequent cross is poor and comfortably cleared by the first man.

More good defending from Everton as Willian unleashes a powerful drive towards goal which is well blocked. The rebound almost loops to Christensen, but he is beaten in the air by Williams before the referee calls for a stop to play due to a head injury.

Just four minutes to go until half time in this one, and clear chances have been so few and far between. Indeed, I would go as far as to say that we haven't even had one yet - Rudiger did very well to score with his header after all.

Even so, it is Chelsea who are heading for the quarter-finals as things stand.

SHOT! Half the ground think Chelsea have doubled their lead, but Zappacosta slams his effort into the side-netting here.

It is a slick move from Chelsea, one of their best of the evening, with Willian poking the ball into the path of the flying full-back. Zappacosta tries to drill one towards goal, but it is wide of the near post and Pickford looked to have it covered anyway.

There will be just the one minute of added time at the end of this drab first half.

The referee brings an end to the first half here at Stamford Bridge, and in truth most people will be happy that opening 45 minutes is over.

It has not been the best exhibition of football so far between Chelsea and Everton, but it is the home side who head into the break with the lead and, as things stand, Antonio Conte's side will be in the hat for the quarter-finals.

The only goal of the game so far - and indeed the only moment of real quality - came shortly before the half-hour mark when Antonio Rudiger opened his account for the club with a fine header.

Musonda collected Willian's short corner on the left before swinging a devilish cross to the back post. Rudiger still had plenty to do from that point, though, and somehow he managed to stretch enough to get the ball and loop his header perfectly over Pickford and into the far corner.

Aside from that, it really is slim pickings as far as highlights are concerned. There have only been two other shots of note, both of which came from Chelsea and neither of which ever looked like going in.

Batshuayi had the first of those, holding off a challenge on the edge of the area with his back to goal before firing a tame shot straight at the keeper on the turn. Zappacosta also threatened towards the end of the half when he collected Willian's pass on the overlap, but he slammed his effort into the side-netting.

For Everton's part, they have offered nothing in an attacking sense so far. Caretaker boss David Unsworth has got his team working hard, but there is no end product at the moment and barely even any build-up play.

Chelsea have created very little themselves, but they deserve their half-time lead purely by virtue of Everton being so anonymous up front. Something needs to change in this second half.

KICKOFF: Chelsea get us back underway for the second half - a more entertaining one please! No changes for either side at the break.

Almost an early chance for Chelsea as Drinkwater drops another long pass in behind the defence, this time for Willian, but once again Pickford is quick off his line to gather.

Davies has committed a few fouls already tonight, and he is lucky to avoid going into the book for this latest one - a late challenge on Christensen in the air.

YELLOW CARD! Davies won't get away with this one, though. He slides in on Ampadu and that would probably be a booking on its own, yet alone with his previous indiscretions too.

YELLOW CARD! McCarthy joins Davies in the book for a high foot on Kenedy.

SHOT! Crunching challenge from Baningime in midfield to win the ball and the referee lets it go. Rooney eventually pokes it out wide to Kenny, who completely miscues his effort well wide of the target.

Ampadu needs treatment after that challenge from Baningime. It was certainly a heavy one, but he stayed low and got the ball - a good challenge, but the type there will always be questions over in today's game.

CHANCE! Huge chance for Everton - their first of the night! Kenny's swings a cross into the middle from the right and Mirallas cushions a lovely header down to Rooney, who is left with only the keeper to beat from six yards out. Caballero is quick off his line and makes himself big to deny Rooney's volley on the turn, though. Big save from the keeper - I'm not sure there was too much more Rooney could do.

CHANCE! Caballero again comes to Chelsea's rescue, but this time it is as a result of his own mistake!

The keeper takes one touch before trying to volley a pass out to a defender, but he only succeeds in giving it to Lennon inside his own area. The Everton winger is immediately on to it, but his first touch just allows Caballero to fly in and make a challenge.

This is much better from Everton now. They are piling the pressure on Chelsea having not offered anything going forward before this recent spell. Suddenly the hosts have a fight on their hands here.

CHANCE! Another big chance for Everton, who really should be level here! Mirallas floats across from the left flank and Lennon darts in front of his man at the back post before trying to flick the ball towards goal. The last touch actually comes off a defender, though, which is enough to lift it over the crossbar.

Chelsea are really hanging on now!

YELLOW CARD! Caballero does just about enough to deal with the resulting corner, and Chelsea suddenly break quickly. Musonda leads the charge, but he is chopped down by a mixture of Williams and Jagielka, with the latter going into the book.

CHELSEA SUB: Chelsea make their first change of the evening as Cesc Fabregas replaces Drinkwater.

EVERTON SUB: Everton respond with their first change of the evening as Dominic Calvert-Lewin comes on for McCarthy.

Everton win another corner and once again Williams is making himself a nuisance, but again he cannot get a clean head on it.

YELLOW CARD! Rudiger is the first Chelsea player in the book for a flying challenge on Mirallas.

SAVE! Caballero has kept his side ahead in this one. The keeper is called into action again as Jagielka gets in front of his man to flick Baines's free kick towards goal at the near post, but Caballero reacts well to push it away.

CHANCE! More work for Caballero as Mirallas sweeps an effort towards goal which again the Chelsea keeper does really well to push away. Chelsea break immediately down the other end, but Willian slices his effort wide.

CHELSEA SUB: A second change for Chelsea as Conte calls for the cavalry - Pedro comes on in place of Musonda.

Everton have looked like a different team in this second half. They have been so much more lively in the final third and look the most likely to score the game's second goal here. Chelsea have been hanging on for the majority of this second half.

EVERTON SUB: Another change for the Toffees sees Ademola Lookman replace Lennon.

UPDATE: A quick update from elsewhere - Tottenham now lead West Ham 2-1, with Dele Alli doubling the hosts' lead at Wembley before Andre Ayew pulled one back. Still plenty of time to go in that 8pm kickoff, though.

UPDATE: It looks like I spoke too soon! West Ham have completed the comeback, with a second from Ayew making it 2-2 at Wembley. What a huge result that could be for the underfire Slaven Bilic if they can knock out their fiercest rivals.

SHOT! Lovely football from Everton as the patiently look for a way through which eventually results in Lookman breaking into the box. The angle is against the youngster, though, and he drills his shot into the side-netting.

CHANCE! Incredible defending from Jagielka to save a certain goal! A suicidal back-pass from Rooney is beyond Williams and sends Batshuayi clean through on goal, and the Belgian looks certain to score once he has poked it through the legs of Pickford.

However, just as it looks as though Batshuayi is about to apply the finishing touch into an empty net, Jagielka comes flying in and hooks the ball away from the striker. Superb defending, and that keeps Everton in this competition for now.

Batshuayi collided with the post quite heavily then, but he should be fine to continue. He will require treatment, but he is going to try to soldier on.

OFF THE BAR! Chelsea really are fortunate to still be ahead here. Everton are getting closer and closer, and this time they hit the bar as Lookman dips inside before unleashing a brilliant strike which clips the top of the woodwork.

EVERTON SUB: A third and final change for Everton as Rooney is replaced by Oumar Niasse.

UPDATE: What a night this is turning out to be for West Ham! They have come from 2-0 down against Tottenham and now lead 3-2 through Angelo Ogbonna.

CHELSEA SUB: Conte has now intention of shutting up shop in these closing stages. Having already brought on Fabregas and Pedro, he now turns to record signing Alvaro Morata to replace Batshuayi.

Clash between Mirallas and Fabregas as the Chelsea player goes flying into a challenge on the Belgian, who then catches him with his foot. That didn't look entirely accidental from Mirallas... it may not be the last we have heard of that.

Just one minute of normal time remaining in this match, and as things stand Everton are falling just short. They deserve extra time at least from this one, but whatever happens there are positives for them to take from the game.

What a waste this is from Lookman. Everton have bodies forward for a free kick, but Baines instead chooses to play it short to Lookman. The youngster sees his name in lights and goes for goal, but his effort trickles well wide.

There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.

Game over. Chelsea double their advantage in some style to end Everton's quarter-finals hopes once and for all.

The Blues play a corner short and Willian suddenly darts inside before exchanges passes with Fabregas and tucking a clinical finish into the bottom corner. Brilliant goal.

A blockbuster finale to the match with late goals for both teams, but ultimately it is Chelsea heading into tomorrow's EFL Cup quarter-final draw courtesy of a 2-1 win over managerless Everton.

The hosts took a deserved lead into the break through Antonio Rudiger's fine looping header - his first goal for the club - but Everton were by far the better side in the second half and had plenty of chances to level things up.

It was Chelsea that got the game's second goal in stoppage time, though, with Willian netting late on before Dominic Calvert-Lewin responded immediately with what proved to be only a consolation.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening!

Thanks you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's EFL Cup clash between Chelsea and Everton as the hosts hold off a spirited performance from the managerless Toffees to reach the quarter-finals. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps too.

From me, though, it is goodbye for now!