Chelsea 1 – 0 Everton
Everton thought they’d done well by limiting Chelsea to just one goal in an awful first half where no glove was raised, but David Moyes finally put on the players needed to challenge — and they might have won late on but for two fine stops by Sanchez.
The team he has chosen to do this includes Nathan Patterson as David Moyes shuffles makes adjustments to cover for the absence of James Tarkowski, who has injured his hamstring and is ruled out for the rest of the season. The full-back is set for his first chance in the first XI in his favoured position on the right of defence, having played left back against Arsenal recently.
Jake O’Brien, who Moyes has used at right back since January, will move across to his preferred spot, earning his place ahead of Michael Keane, who seemed to be largely responsible for the late collapse that gifted two soft goals to Manchester City after he replaced the injured Tarkowski last Saturday.
Armando Broja is ineligible to play against his parent club and Jesper Lindstrom, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Orel Mangala are all sidelined with injury.
Everton — with apparently the 2nd oldest lineup in the Premier League — wearing some hideous charcoal and lemon affair, kicked off in that brainless manner, back to Pickford for a hoof to Beto, who fouls his man and Chelsea then take the initiative.
Madueke stole the ball off Patterson but he was tracked down by the Scotsman who stopped him taking advantage in the Everton penalty area.
Mykolenko was caught by Lavia for an advanced free-kick that Harrison looped harmlessly beyond the far post. A high ball in to Sanchez saw Beto block him, forcing a fumble that the Chelsea man recovered.
Neto almost got forward into space but Pickford was out smartly to thwart him. But Chelsea were getting some decent plays and Garner had to be alert to steal a good forward ball off Madueke.
Jackson was necxt to think he could walk through the Everton defence but the ball was stolen away for a corner. Chelsea pressed for a second corner that Branthwaite cleared with a strong header, but Chelsea forced the turnover and another threatening move saw a cross fly over just otot high for Madeuke.
Madeuke stole the ball off Harrison, drove forward, and slotted one toward the corner, Pickford down well to palm it behind. Everton tried again to break out but the pass from Gana was poor; it had been all Chelsea for the first 15 minutes.
More pressure from Palmer and Jackson tested the Everton defence who again came out on top but one mistake was clearly going to let this rampant Chelsea side take the lead as Everton again completely wasted a turnover ball.
Neto was next to test Mykolenko, Branthwaite putting the cross behind for another Chelsea corner, and Harrison’s pressure on Jackson forced a foul by the Chelsea man. Still Everton tried to break out but seemed to have no idea how to do it under the Chelsea press.
Another Chelsea attack was thwarted and Beto was folued as Eveton tried to break but the ball forward to Harrison was impossible to keep in. But at least Everton had a spell with ball and Ndiaye did well to make space but Chalobah flicked the ball away from Beto to deny him any chance at the far post.
Branthwaite was a bit too strong on Jackson, giving Chelsea a free-kick that Pickford punished straight to Cucurella, whose fumbled shot somehow evaded conversion by Palmer. But the clearance saw Chalobah steal the ball off Beto and Enzo played in Jackson to finally lash one beyond Pickford into the corner. It had always been coming.
A Chelsea free-kick by Neto was looped into Pickford’s hands. Everton could build again… except that they really couldn’t, having no real idea how to go forward against the home side. Mykolenko’s cross was straight to Chalobah and the turnover was complete.
Strong Chelsea pressure and good Everton defending followed, with the visitors firmly back on their heels, a brief foray forward by Everton quickly repelled. Palmer put in a good ball that Madueke tried to head in but Pickford tracked it, Patterson with some head contact in challenging Madueke.
Everton again tried to get forward, a long ball chased in by Mykolenko who ran straight into Sanchez… penalty? Apparently not as Snachez had grasped the ball already. Free-kick to Chelsea as Sanchez needed treatment before the two players gave each other a lovely hug.
Everton really tried to fight Chelsea for possession in midfield but had no chance of keeping it. But Lavia overhit their final ball into Pickford. From his clearance Beto won the header but Sanchez was on the ball quickly.
Harrison but in a decent ball as Beto was dragged over by Caicedo, leaving Mykolenko’s cross with no recipient. Then, Mykolenko’s cross was right on to Docucoure’s head but he did more than nothing with it somehow directing it away from goal!
Everton had finally had a spell of advanced possession but had got nowhere near the Chelsea goal. Ndiaye was fouled late in added time, but it came to nothing.
A dreadful half really in terms of decent forward play from Everton being almost completely absent but a worse defence would have seen a cricket score — so Everton supposedly still in it at just a goal down.
Alcaraz on for Ndiaye at the break — injury or tactical? But it was Chelsea pushing up from the restart, Neto bested Mykolenko, and Branthwaite clearing behind. Another corner won and Madeku alonst scored, Pickford saving at the near post with his leg.
Everton broke wth a bit of pace through Alcaraz but Beto was clumsy on the ball and lost it too easily again. Branthwaite got annoyed with Jackson, strong-arming him, but he lost his rag a bit by continuing the physicality.
Jackson almost caught out Pickford but again the Everton keeper was out just quickly enough to clear and it was briefly end to end. Another Chelsea corner and a brilliant Branthwaite leap saw him glance the ball away.
Everton were having to defend all over the pitch as they got very little out of this Chelsea side, who always seemed to win or recover the ball. Madueke won another corner off Patterson, headed away for the umpteenth time by the brilliant Jarrad Branthwaite.
Harrison fouh well and pushed a nice ball through to Beto whose low shot forced a stretching save from Sancho before he was relieved. Cometh the hour and Dithering Dave is driven to make an almost unprecedented massive triple switch.
Everton pushed up and won a throw-in, it fell to Gana who struck it well for once but too close to Scanchez. Caicedo drove forward but shot well wide. Everton won an advanced free-kick wide right, Chermiti heading it diagonally to an offside player.
Gana forced another vital turnover in midfield and Everton tried to play it around like a proper football team but still it wasn’t quite working. Chelase’s break came to nothing and Everton showed the required desire to get forward again with 20 minutes to change this game.
McNeil stopped Madueke and Everton came forward, Young with a fantastic cross that came to Mykolenko who tripped ver re ball. At the other end, a tremendous run and shot by Madueke and a brilliant onee-handed save low by Pickford.
Corner No 10 for Chelsea, finally caught by Pickford off Cucurella. More forward play by Everton and a superb cross by Branthwaite, forcing Everton’s first corner. But Garner’s floated corner was straight to Sanchez… criminal.
Good work by Chermitti and McNeil forced Chelsea to show that they could defend just as well as they could attack but at least Everton were finally asking some questions. Docucoure almost beat Colwill but the ball got caught up in his legs.
Mykolenko got wide but his cross was not good enough for Chermiti. But still Everton continued to play the ball up and finally give Chelsea a game with 10 minutes left to play. Gana did brilliantly to feed Chermiti but he was flagged offside again.
Everton tried to build another attack from midfield, but Chermiti was too easily dispossessed. But Mykolenko did well to intercept. However, Chelsea got the ball back and Cucurella lashed a shot in that Pickford parried back straight to Jackson and in the net… but he was offside.
Mykolenko simply could not get past James. But Eveton kept trying; however the intensity had dropped a until Alacarz rescued a lost ball and turned it in brilliantly for McNeil whose unorthodox connection was set for the corner until Sanchez somehow got down to it.
That was the bifg chance Everton had been building toward. But again, the corner from Garaner was shocking — straight to Sanchez. A deep free-kick for Everton earned a throw-in, Mykolenko taking it long but Mykolenko’s cross was snapped up by Sanchez.
Everton worked it forward well again but Docuocore this time could only pop it up for Sanchez to snap up. Another offside call stopped Everton in what would be their final attempt. Another attack, but Branthwaite jumped into James and that was the final action.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia (67′ James), Enzo, Madueke (78′ Sancho), Palmer (90+1′ Dewsbury-Hall), Neto, Jackson (90+1′ George).
Subs not Used: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Tosin, Nkunku.
Everton: Pickford, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, O’Brien, Patterson (64′ Young), Ndiaye (46′ Alcaraz), Gueye, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison (63′ McNeil), Beto (64′ Chermiti).
Subs not Used: Virginia, Begovic, Coleman, Keane, Iroegbunam.