Everton striker Romelu Lukaku: Chelsea will be a far tougher test than they were in September

Brushing past: Chelsea offered little resistance on their last visit to Goodison Park
Alex Livesey/Getty Images
James Benge10 March 2016

Romelu Lukaku has cautioned his Everton team-mates from overconfidence ahead of Chelsea’s return to Goodison Park in the FA Cup quarter finals.

When Everton welcomed Chelsea back in September Roberto Martinez’s side enjoyed a remarkable victory that sent Jose Mourinho deeper into the mire, ninth-minute substitute Steven Naismith scoring a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory.

Chelsea since claimed a late 3-3 draw when the two sides met at Stamford Bridge in January, John Terry scoring in the game’s dying seconds, and Lukaku believes that display is more representative of his former side under interim manager Guus Hiddink.

“I think Chelsea team from that moment [the September win] is not the same Chelsea team as now,” Lukaku told Everton TV.

“The players in the team are back scoring again, Diego Costa is scoring again, Hazard is gaining momentum so it’s going to be a totally different game.

“In football you should never compare one game to another. We will have to be better than them and sharper than them to win the game.”

Over four appearances against Chelsea Lukaku is yet to net against the side who brought him to the Premier League in 2011.

However Lukaku, who has been linked with Manchester United over recent months, is eager to test himself once more against Guus Hiddink’s side.

“It’s nice to play against a good side,” he added. “For a player you want to play against those big teams.

“To me it doesn’t matter when, I just want to play against the big teams all the time.”

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