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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
David Tindall

Chelsea 1-0 Everton: Premier League – as it happened

Nicolas Jackson celebrates
Nicolas Jackson’s first half strike was enough to see Chelsea to victory. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Yara El-Shaboury was at Stamford Bridge and here’s her match report. Thanks for reading today.

It didn’t matter today in the end but Peter Crosby has a take on Cole Palmer.

“Has anyone ever noticed that Palmer’s dip in form has coincided with his chat with Pep at the end of the Chelsea game in January? Possibly one of Pep’s most dastardly take downs of young English attacking talent yet?”

Some Chelsea reaction from two of the key men.

Marc Cucurella: “We know now every game is a final. They are physical, very tough. Today we ran together and we felt like a team and we deserved this win.”

Nicolas Jackson: “For the players, for the fans, everybody, that’s (making the Champions League) our dream. I’ve never played in it so hopefully next year we play it. It’s not done yet but now we move to the next one.”

Chelsea’s run-in is tough though: Liverpool (h), Newcastle (a), Man Utd (h), Nottingham Forest (a).

FULL TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Everton

A vital three points for Chelsea in their bid to make the Champions League. They move up two spots to fourth and just about deserved this. Everton pressed late but Sanchez came up trumps when needed.

Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Liverpool 33 44 79
2 Arsenal 34 34 67
3 Man City 34 23 61
4 Chelsea 34 19 60
5 Nottm Forest 33 14 60

Updated

90 min +4: The ball is back with Pickford. Everton launch one final cross into the box but, to mighty home cheers, Branthwaite gives away a free-kick after charging into James.

Updated

90 min +4: Into the final 30 seconds and Chelsea are nearly there.

Updated

90 min +3: Clock is ticking. Chelsea are still winning.

Updated

90 min +2: Everton still trying to push forward but Sanchez catches again. In fact, Joe Cole has just given the often-maligned goalkeeper the Player of the Match award.

Updated

90 min: We will have just four added minutes. Sanchez is catching everything cleanly now and plucks another cross out of the air. Chelsea makes those changes with Palmer (now 17 games without a goal) and goalscorer Jackson going off.

89 min: Chelsea preparing a double change with exciting youngster Tyrique George and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall set to come on.

87 min: What a save from Sanchez! Alcaraz finds acres down the left and crosses into the middle. McNeil meets it on the volley but Sanchez changes direction and manages to keep it out, flicking the bouncing ball behind for a corner. He then catches the corner too for an encore.

86 min: Mykolenko scuttles down the left but James gets his body across and sees the ball out of play. Good defending.

85 min: Jackson has the ball in the Everton net as Pickford pushes out Cucurella’s thumping shot and the striker tucks in the rebound but he does so from an offside position. Play resumes quickly.

84 min: Some welcome possession for Chelsea – if you’re a home fan or Joe Cole.

83 min: Chalobah and Colwill have done well in central defence for Chelsea but they still need to see this out. It’s going to be a tense final 10 minutes or so.

82 min: Chelsea need to take the sting out of this but when they slow it down, Everton press and pounce. Crowd status: anxious.

80 min: Palmer just not at the races today and his attempted pass to Neto on the right goes out of play.

79 min: Colwill does great to take the ball away from Doucoure who was marauding forward and looking as if he would latch onto a pass and go for goal.

78 min: Another Chelsea sub as Jadon Sancho comes on for Madueke. Surprised by that. A few boos that local opinion suggests they’re taking the wrong man off.

76 min: Everton win their first corner of the match but what a waste. It’s straight down the throat of Sanchez and nowhere near the big units sent up from the back.

75 min: Madueke is the one Chelsea player still looking like he could create something and he does just that. The wide man cuts in from the right and hits an angled drive that Pickford palms behind for a corner. The cross is headed into the air and Cucurella, of all people, is the one jumping like a salmon but his header is plucked from under the crossbar by Pickford.

73 min: Totally different game now. Lots of Everton shirts in the Chelsea box as Young crosses but Mykolenko completely whiffs his kick at the far post.

72 min: Chelsea try to break but Everton snuff that out. Another sign that Maresca’s side don’t have control of this match anymore.

71 min: And, of course, the home fans are now getting a little fractious as Everton push and Chelsea are caught between knowing whether to stick or twist.

Updated

69 min: Which is another way of saying, Chelsea need a second goal. However, Everton had had more shots and more shots on target that the hosts in this second 45.

68 min: We’ve seen this film before with Everton. Not doing much, refuse to yield a second goal and then pounce at the end to nick a draw.

67 min: Everton becoming more of a threat now. The ball drops to Gueye on the edge of the area from a header and he thumps a right-foot volley straight at Sanchez. Either side and that was 1-1.

66 min: Now Chelsea’s turn to make a change and, as predicted, it’s James for Lavia. A big hand for the young midfielder as he walks off clapping in return.

64 min: All change for Everton. On come Young, McNeil and Chermiti. Harrison, Beto and Patterson depart.

63 min: From nowhere, Beto takes a bobbling pass from Harrison 20 yards out and strikes a first-timer which is goalbound. Super hit but Sanchez is down sharply to turn it away.

61 min: Neto finds Enzo, who tries to turn a pass around the corner to Madueke in the box but Everton have been pretty stout defensively and intercept.

60 min: The corner count is racking up for Chelsea – that’s 9-0 I think – but again Everton defend it well, heading clear.

59 min: Palmer crowded out as he looks to jink and work space for a shot. Everton now preparing a triple change.

Updated

58 min: Reece James warming up for Chelsea. Lavia likely to make way with Caicedo going back into midfield. Dwight McNeil warming up for Everton.

56 min: Everton’s most likely route to goal seems to be pumping a ball into the box and hoping Sanchez flaps at it. To be fair, he often does.

54 min: Sloppy at the back from Everton as Jackson almost pounces on Patterson’s weak backpass. Pickford to the rescue. Chelsea launch another attack and Madueke stands a cross up that’s headed behind for a corner. It’s a dangerous one and Branthwaite gets a vital headed flick to divert it for another.

52 min: The ref just having a chat with Jackson and Branthwaite, who have been getting a bit physical. It lands on deaf ears as Jackson then wrestles the defender to the ground as Everton prepare to take a throw-in. All something and nothing.

51 min: Everton lost 6-0 in this fixture last year so at least they’re doing better than that. Much better. But it’s not obvious where their goal is coming from just yet.

50 min: Everton break but Harrison’s cross is blocked. Gueye then hoofs an awful cross straight behind. Everton need to do much better and Moyes looks frazzled.

48 min: Another Chelsea corner down the right. Neto takes and goes to the near post. The ball drops down to Madueke, who swivels and hits a low shot which Pickford deflects behind off his leg.

47 min: Neto takes it himself back to Palmer but Branthwaite has been a bit of a magnet and heads away again.

46 min: Everton are the draw specialists this season so Chelsea will want a second. They start brightly as Neto wins a corner.

Chelsea get the second half underway. Everton have brought on Alcaraz for the ineffective Ndiaye.

This is Maresca’s view by the way. Not the best!

HALF TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Everton

Not the most exciting first period but Chelsea deserve their lead and it was a fine finish from Jackson, who needed a goal after his drought. Everton need to up it after the break.

45 min +2: Everton win a free-kick in the centre-circle and send the (extremely) big men up. Oh, hang on, O’Brien has been told to sit back. It doesn’t matter as the half-time whistle goes as Chelsea clear.

45 min +2: Everton pushing as the break nears. Left-back Mykolenko is the one getting space and that could be an area to mine in the second half.

45 min: There will be four additional minutes.

44 min: Mykolenko gets on the end of a deep cross into the Chelsea box and turns it back into the middle. The hosts clear. Everton have it back and Mykolenko again gets forward, floating a cross into the centre. The advancing Doucoure tries to get his head on it but can only get a glance, the ball never threatening the goal. Everton’s best moment. It’s taken a while.

43 min: The stadium has gone a little quiet as Chelsea knock the ball around. Again, Palmer can’t see much ahead. Is it him being less decisive than usual or a lack of movement?

41 min: A drinks break as Sanchez and Mykolenko finally get to their feet. The two players embrace which is a nice touch and the game resumes.

39 min: Here’s another coming together and this is a nasty one as Sanchez clatters into Mykolenko. Both players need treatment here. Sanchez caught the ball, sort of, but barged into the Everton full-back on his follow through.

Updated

38 min: Ouch! Madueke gets in a header, easily picked up by Pickford, but bangs into Patterson as he does so. He’s on his feet fairly quickly.

37 min: That was Jackson’s 10th Premier League goal of the campaign but his first since Chelsea beat Brentford in mid-December.

36 min: Neto gets his skates on down the right and Mykolenko is glad the pass is overhit and runs through to Pickford.

35 min: Chelsea completely dominating the midfield here, with Enzo Fernandez really pulling the strings. Cole Palmer still pretty quite through as he looks to end his 16-match goal drought.

33 min: Lovely switch out left to Madueke, who holds firm in a challenge from Patterson. O’Brien and Branthwaite deal with a cross and then a shot as Chelsea ramp up the pressure.

31 min: Can Everton find a response? There’s very little coming from their frontmen so far. Joe Cole says Ndiaye is playing too centrally.

29 min: Chelsea are up to fourth in the live table, ahead of Nottingham Forest on goal difference.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Everton (Jackson 27)

Chalobah wins the ball off Beto in the centre-circle. Enzo plays a straight, simple pass ahead to Jackson and the centre-forward swivels and, from just outside the area, thumps a low shot into the bottom corner. Great finish. 1-0 Chelsea.

Updated

26 min: Jackson dances past Branthwaite and is fouled, giving Chelsea a free-kick in a central area. Enzo’s cross is flapped at by Pickford, setting up Cucurella about 15 yards out but his bouncing shot drifts wide. But…

24 min: Ndiaye dribbles into a dangerous position and Everton throw a cross into the box which Chalobah does well to stretch his neck muscles and head clear.

23 min: Halfway through the first half and and the xG count reads: Chelsea 0.08, Everton 0.00.

21 min: Some Everton possession but only fleeting as Chelsea win back the ball. Madueke tries a cross from the left but O’Brien hacks clear.

19 min: Neto drives and wins Chelsea’s fourth corner of the game. Up come the centre-backs but it’s a poor floaty delivery to Jackson, who fouls on the edge of the box and the moment is gone.

18 min: Joe Cole, on co-comms, spots the banned Maresca sat at the back of the press box and says they’ve given him an awful viewing seat.

Updated

17 min: A graphic shows that Chelsea have taken more shots at home than any other team this season: 301 of them. They’ve scored with just 30 though.

15 min: Everton have a first real chance to break with numbers but pass the ball out of play. Just a warning to Chelsea, who have easily been the better side in the first quarter of an hour.

14 min: Madueke bursts off the left-flank, comes inside and, from inside the D, thumps a right-foot shot destined for the far corner but Pickford palms it behind. The corner is cleared.

12 min: Chelsea win the first corner of the game, down the right. They go short to Palmer, whose angled cross is met by Colwill’s head at the back post but nodded behind for another corner. Enzo takes this one from the opposite side but Branthwaite gets his nut on it. The hosts press again and Neto’s cross only just evades Madueke.

11 min: Colwill plays a pass over the top for Palmer and it looks dangerous but he’s smothered after briefly getting goalside of the Everton defence. Chelsea willing to go long here.

9 min: Neto gets a sprint on down the right, heading the pass into the area but Pickford is out to collect before the winger can get his next touch.

8 min: Chelsea go long but balls like that are meat and drink for the Everton centre-backs. Branthwaite heads that one away.

7 min: Cole Palmer gets a first real touch but sees nothing ahead and goes sideways.

5 min: First moment for Everton as Lavia, perhaps rusty, makes a clumsy challenge on Mykolenko. From the free-kick, Harrison’s delivery bounces deep into the area and the ball ends back near the halfway. But Everton will want to test Sanchez and they pump a ball into the box which the Chelsea goalkeeper just about grabs from Beto while looking far from convincing in the process.

Updated

4 min: Enzo spreads a ball out to the right but Ndiaye is alert and heads back to his goalkeeper. As expected, Chelsea bossing the early possession.

2 min: Bit of a weird first kick-out from Pickford although Everton end up with a throw.

1 min: An early foul as Beto fouls Cucurella near the edge of the Chelsea area. From the free-kick, Nicolas Jackson looks to find space through the middle but Everton have him covered.

Everton get the ball rolling. We’re off!

Here come the teams. A warm handshake between Chelsea’s Reece James (a sub today) and Everton’s Jordan Pickford, England teammates of ccourse.

Kick-off five minutes away now. Meanwhile…

Nicholas Way:Mourinho might have been Macbeth earlier in his career, but these days he’s more like King Lear.”

John Cox: “Mourinho has to be lago, surely?”

David Moyes’ Premier League record at Stamford Bridge shows no wins from 19 games. He has a few like this at big grounds, doesn’t he? Anfield springs to mind. Here he is speaking to TNT’s Darren Fletcher, who starts by wishing the Everton boss a happy birthday (62) for yesterday.

Moyes on his players: “They’ve picked themselves up completely, got some brilliant results, got themselves in position where we’re safe now in the Premier League. They’ve all stepped up. Their form has been as good as teams at the top end of the league at the moment. We obviously lack some quality, we need to change some things in the summer but I have to say this group of players have done really well.”

Updated

Cormac Culkeen writes: “Surely if we’re talking about football and Shakespeare, Joseph Mourinho is the ideal Macbeth? Fits the concept perfectly, I think.”

Fun fact: there was a South African football called MacBeth Sibaya.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has also been speaking to TNT Sports: “The morale is good. Today is a very important game for us. We had a good comeback last weekend so today we have a good opportunity to get another three points and be ready for the last games.

“The fans need to stay with us. We will have moments that we need to suffer but if we stay together we can do it. We have prepared well for the game and we know it is massive for us. We are going all out for everything.”

Enzo Maresco celebrates his 50th game in charge of Chelsea by being banished from the touchline. “I will be watching in the stand behind the bench,” he explains, looking slightly sheepish. “We have five games to go and we are going to try and win all the games. For sure, we can start today.”

On Cole Palmer’s goal drought, he says: “I have a feeling today that it will be a good day for Cole and hopefully I’m not wrong.”

Gary Naylor writes:In Stratford Upon Avon for the matinee of Much Ado About Nothing. “Beatrice and Benedick in Shakespeare’s original rom-com set in the world of top-flight football and celebrity culture, where scandal-filled rivalries are the hottest new thing and lads and WAGs collide.” Might work... and might not. This Beatrice is a journo and Benedick a player (which kinda makes sense), but which other characters from Shakey’s canon map on to footballers? Gazza is Falstaff of course, Enzo Maresca will be keeping an eye out for a Cassius and Brutus if he loses today and I’m increasingly inclined to cast Reuben Amorim as Prospero, searching for the old magic on his lonely Old Trafford island.”

Send in any Bard banter here. I’m not much use, having tuned out a bit during English Lit although I did go on a sixth-form trip to Stratford to see Shakey’s work. Trouble is, my main recollection is buying a New Order album in a local record shop. ‘Brotherhood’ I think.

Peter Crouch on TNT now cracking a gag about his tan. It’s because he’s nearer the sun due to being tall, he quips.

Beto had a spurt of five goals in five games back in February but the Everton striker has lost his scoring touch since. Throw in a pair of games for his country, Guinea-Bissau, to make this stat stand out more and he’s gone nine games without a goal.

That Chelsea front four certainly has bags of talent. Neto has been a weird one this season. The fear was that he’d spent half of it on the sidelines having done his hammy but the bottom line is that he’s just not been very good: five goals in 39 apperances and only four in the league. Maybe the touch, turn, bang winner he fired home in injury-time against Fulham last weekend is a sign of things to come.

Yara El-Shaboury is our roving reporter at Stamford Bridge today and she brings you this…

Yesterday, Enzo Maresca said Chelsea’s transfer plans in the summer will hinge on the team qualifying for the Champions League next season and today’s early kick-off against Everton will be a huge factor in whether that dream will come to fruition.

The home side have struggled in front of goal of late, with several of their forwards out of form. That hasn’t deterred the Chelsea fans outside of Stamford Bridge though. A pack of fans are in full voice, singing ‘Cole Palmer, he’s going to score’ while waiting for the team bus. Not a particularly creative chant but one that shows how much belief supporters have in the 22-year-old who is on a 16-game goal drought. He starts alongside Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto and Nicolas Jackson.

For Chelsea, this is Romeo Lavia’s first start since January. It’s a decent fact but nothing compared to the stat that Cole Palmer hasn’t scored for 16 games. With Lavia partnering Enzo Fernandes in central midfield, Moses Caicedo is shunted to right-back, meaning skipper Reece James only starts on the bench.

How weird to list an Everton team without writing the name Tarkowski. A hamstring injury has ruled the defender out for the season and his absence here ends a run of 109 consecutive Premier League games.

Teams

Chelsea: Sanchez, Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Enzo, Madueke, Palmer, Neto, Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Tosin, James, Dewsbury-Hall, George, Sancho, Nkunku.

Everton: Pickford, Patterson, O’Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison, Ndiaye, Beto.
Subs: Virginia, Begovic, Keane, McNeil, Chermiti, Young, Coleman, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire).

Preamble

Chelsea have played 49 matches in all competitions this season and just two have ended goalless. The first was against Everton three days before Christmas, a result which ended an eight-game winning streak and sparked a decline in fortunes. Enzo Maresca’s side lost their next two matches. In truth, that Everton stalemate may well be a turning point from which they’ve never really recovered. Chelsea still have hopes of a top-five finish and a Champions League spot next season but it’s absolutely in the balance. With Liverpool and Arsenal taking up two places, it’s now a five-horse race for the remaining three between Man City (61pts), Nottingham Forest (60), Newcastle (59), Chelsea (57) and Aston Villa (57). Chelsea, Forest and Newcastle have a game in hand following Man City’s dramatic 2-1 in win over Villa in midweek.

For Everton, the David Moyes new manager bounce has gone rather flat. The returning hero led his side to a flurry of points to immediately rule out any fears of relegation but a current thermometer check shows just one league win in eight. A kinder take is that they’ve drawn five of those games and the only defeats were to Liverpool and Manchester City.

If all that suggests Everton might just nick another point here, the last meeting between the pair at Stamford Bridge does not. Rewind to April 2024 and Chelsea thrashed the Toffees 6-0, a young chap called Cole Palmer finishing with four goals after completing a hat-trick inside 30 minutes.

With everything virtually rubber-stamped at the top and bottom of the table, the battle for European spots is where it’s at now. Let’s get this thing on! Kick-off is at 12.30pm.

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