Everton host Chelsea in a meeting of fifth and sixth in the Premier League table.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into their meeting on Merseyside on Saturday.

Everton manager David Moyes was critical of his players after they let a 2-1 lead slip at Hull City on Sunday but a draw at the MKM Stadium was enough to maintain Everton's unbeaten start.

This is just the third time in the Premier League era that Everton have gone undefeated in their opening six matches. Should the Toffees avoid defeat against Chelsea on Saturday, they would match the club's longest unbeaten start from the beginning of a Premier League season.

That run of seven games was set in 2006-07 when Everton would go on to finish sixth and qualify for Europe during Moyes' first stint on Merseyside.

The Scot targeted a return to European football last season and Everton were in contention for much of the campaign before falling just short. Their chances of achieving that ambition in 2026-27 may well depend on the goals of centre-forward Thierno Barry, who has scored six times, just two short of last season's total with at least 34 games to go.

The 23-year-old is playing in only his third season in an elite European league having joined Everton after one campaign with Villarreal and after netting against both Ipswich Town and Hull, he is vying to score in three successive matches at this level for the first time.

Visitors Chelsea have an in-form forward of their own in Joao Pedro, who has been involved in more goals than any other Premier League player so far.

The Brazil international scored twice as Chelsea put five past Bournemouth last weekend, taking his tally to five goals and three assists in just five matches.

Chelsea's triumph against the Cherries also underlined their current capacity to start quickly. The Blues have scored five goals in the opening five minutes of Premier League matches so far – 17 teams in the competition are yet to do so even once.

Chelsea, though, do not always travel well to the blue half of Merseyside. Their first game at Hill Dickinson Stadium last season ended in a 3-0 defeat, while they won on just one of their final eight visits to Goodison Park.

Moyes, meanwhile, has won eight of his past 13 home games as a manager in this fixture - four times with Everton and four with West Ham United.