Chelsea are coming from a remarkable season, finally claiming the Champions League last month after having lifted the FA Cup on the domestic scene.

Everton, with a tight purse to see them through, can be glad with their 2011-12 season even though their seventh placing in the league was the same as that of the previous year. Manager David Moyes marked his 10th year at Goodison Park.

Chelsea had two managers last season.

In fact, pre-season was conducted by Andres Villas-Boas who took over from Carlo Ancelotti.

Yet, the Portuguese only lasted till March when club owner Roman Abramovich decided it was time to change. Villas-Boas’s no.2 Roberto di Matteo was handed the interim job.

The move was risky but it worked wonders as the Italian, despite failing to lead the Blues to a top-four position, guided them to the FA Cup and later the Champions League.

Di Matteo was wise to admit that veterans Frank Lampard, John Terry and Didier Drogba had to play a more prominent role in the side, something which his predecessor failed to realise.

In the League Cup, Chelsea lost in the quarter-finals to Liverpool 0-2. However, in the FA Cup the Blues saw off Tottenham 5-1 in the semi-finals before beating Liverpool 2-1 in the final.

In Europe, Chelsea became the toast of the neutrals after ousting the mighty Barcelona in the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate.

In the final at the Allianz Arena, they had an uphill struggle to beat Bayern Munich at their own backyard. However, Chelsea’s character showed through and they won the shoot-out 4-3 after a 1-1 draw.

Although Everton have been waiting 17 years for a piece of silverware, the fans still noticed progress in the side and deep down they know that with the addition of two fine players they could challenge for honours.

This showed with the addition of Nikica Jelavic (from Rangers) in January. He soon became the fans’ favourite, hitting the back of the net regularly.

Everton’s major upsets last season were the three defeats to rivals Liverpool, one of which in the semi-finals of the FA Cup at Wembley.

In the League Cup, Everton lost at home to Chelsea (2-1) in the fourth round.

Premier League 2011-12

Chelsea

August
Away vs Stoke 0-0.
Home vs West Brom 2-1 (Anelka, Malouda).
Home vs Norwich 3-1 (Bosingwa, Lampard pen, Mata).
September
Away vs Sunderland 2-1 (Terry, Sturridge).
Away vs Man. United 1-3 (Torres).
Home vs Swansea 4-1 (Torres, Ramirez 2, Drogba).
October
Away vs Bolton 5-1 (Sturridge 2, Lampard 3).
Home vs Everton 3-1 (Sturridge, Terry, Ramirez).
Away vs QPR 0-1.
Home vs Arsenal 3-5 (Lampard, Terry, Mata).
November
Away vs Blackburn 1-0 (Lampard).
Home vs Liverpool 1-2 (Sturridge).
Home vs Wolves 3-0 (Terry, Sturridge, Mata).
December
Away vs Newcastle 3-0 (Drogba, Kalou, Sturridge).
Home vs Manchester City 2-1 (Meireles, Lampard pen).
Away vs Wigan 1-1 (Sturridge).
Away vs Tottenham 1-1 (Sturridge).
Home vs Fulham 1-1 (Mata).
Home vs Aston Villa 1-3 (Drogba pen).
January
Away vs Wolves 2-1 (Ramirez, Lampard).
Home vs Sunderland 1-0 (Lampard).
Away vs Norwich 0-0.
Away vs Swansea 1-1 (N. Taylor og).
February
Home vs Manchester United 3-3 (Evans og, Mata, Luiz).
Away vs Everton 0-2.
Home vs Bolton 3-0 (Luiz, Drogba, Lampard).
March
Away vs West Brom 0-1.
Home vs Stoke 1-0 (Drogba).
Away vs Manchester City 1-2 (Cahill).
Home vs Tottenham 0-0.
April
Away vs Aston Villa 4-2 (Sturridge, Ivanovic 2, Torres).
Home vs Wigan 2-1 (Ivanovic, Mata).
Away vs Fulham 1-1 (Lampard pen).
Away vs Arsenal 0-0.
Home vs QPR 6-1 (Sturridge, Terry, Torres 3, Malouda).
May
Home vs Newcastle 0-2.
Away vs Liverpool 1-4 (Ramirez).
Home vs Blackburn 2-1 (Terry, Meireles).

Everton

August
Home vs QPR 0-1.
Away vs Blackburn Rovers 1-0 (Arteta pen).
September
Home vs Aston Villa 2-2 (Osman, Baines pen).
Home vs Wigan 3-1 (Jagielka, Vellios, Drenthe).
Away vs Manchester City 0-2.
October
Home vs Liverpool 0-2.
Away vs Chelsea 1-3 (Vellios).
Away vs Fulham 3-1 (Drenthe, Saha, Rodwell).
Home vs Manchester United 0-1.
November
Away vs Newcastle 1-2 (Rodwell).
Home vs Wolves 2-1 (Jagielka, Baines pen).
Away vs Bolton 2-0 (Fellaini, Vellios).
December
Home vs Stoke City 0-1.
Away vs Arsenal 0-1.
Home vs Norwich 1-1 (Osman).
Home vs Swansea 1-0 (Osman).
Away vs Sunderland 1-1 (Baines pen).
January
Away vs West Brom 1-0 (Anichebe).
Home vs Bolton 1-2 (Howard).
Away vs Tottenham 0-2.
Away vs Aston Villa 1-1 (Anichebe).
Home vs Blackburn 1-1 (Cahill).
Home vs Manchester City 1-0 (Gibson).
February
Away vs Wigan 1-1 (Anichebe).
Home vs Chelsea 2-0 (Pienaar, Stacqualursi).
March
Away vs QPR 1-1 (Drenthe).
Home vs Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 (Jelavic).
Away vs Liverpool 0-3.
Home vs Arsenal 0-1.
Away vs Swansea City 2-0 (Baines, Jelavic).
April
Home vs West Brom 2-0 (McAuley og, Anichebe).
Away vs Norwich City 2-2 (Jelavic 2).
Home vs Sunderland 4-0 (Pienaar, Gueye, Anichebe, Osman).
Away vs Manchester United 4-4 (Jelavic 2, Fellaini, Pienaar).
Home vs Fulham 4-0 (Jelavic 2, Fellaini, Cahill).
May
Away vs Stoke City 1-1 (Crouch og).
Away vs Wolves 0-0.
Home vs Newcastle United 3-1 (Pienaar, Heitinga, Jelavic).