Chelsea bounced back into contention for next season's Champions League with a 1-0 home win over Everton in the Premier League on Saturday thanks to a fine first-half strike by Nicolas Jackson. The Senegal striker, fed by Enzo Fernandez, drove low into the bottom corner past a diving Jordan Pickford in the 27th minute for his first goal in four months.
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea should have had more but were thwarted by a stubborn defence and Pickford, who kept out a series of shots, notably from Noni Madueke. Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez also pulled off a finger-tip save in the 88th minute to deny Dwight McNeil and stay in front.
The result lifted Chelsea to fourth in the table, one point behind Manchester City. Everton are 13th. Read the game back below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea vs Everton latest news
- GOAL! Smart turn and finish from Jackson
Full-time!
14:26 , Alex Young95min: A big, big win for Chelsea, who simply must keep on winning.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
14:24 , Alex Young91min: Four minutes added on.
WHAT A SAVE!
14:20 , Alex Young87min: McNeil denied by a full-stretch save from Sanchez after going the wrong way.
Does that clinch the three points?
NO GOAL!
14:17 , Alex Young85min: Jackson thinks he has netted a second, tucking home from close range after Cucurella’s shot is saved, but he’s a yard offside.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
14:12 , Alex Young80min: Palmer’s decision-making his been poor today. A player low on confidence.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
14:10 , Alex Young78min: Sancho replaces Madueke.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
14:08 , Alex Young76min: A first corner of the match for Everton but it sails into Sanchez’s arms.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
14:07 , Alex Young74min: Almost stunning from Madeueke, cutting inside on his weak foot and drilling a shot at the far post which Pickford does brilliantly to save.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
14:05 , Alex Young72min: It’s becoming a bit frantic again as Everton start to assert themselves. Lots of sloppy mistakes isn’t helping.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
14:02 , Alex YoungI’m not sure Moises Caicedo likes playing right-back. In the 30 seconds he’s been back in midfield he’s looked like a man determined to make clear he should have started there.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
14:00 , Alex Young68min: Oof, almost immediately Gueye drills a volley down Gueye’s throat.
Everton aren’t out of this yet.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:59 , Alex Young67min: Lavia’s day is done, and he’s done well. Replaced by James.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:56 , Alex Young64min: Harrison, Patterson and Beto are replaced by Young, Chermiti and McNeil.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
13:55 , Alex YoungRobert Sanchez gets a big round of applause from Willy Caballero for that save. The goalkeeper’s union in full effect.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:55 , Alex Young63min: Huge save from Sanchez to deny Beto, who spins sharply and drills a beauty of a shot low towards the far corner.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:53 , Alex Young61min: Fernandez takes, Branthwaite heads away.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:5260min: Another corner for Chelsea, won by Madueke.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:51 , Alex Young59min: McNeil and Young also being readied.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:49 , Alex Young57min: Palmer is furious that Everton have been awarded a throw-in over him. It’s, again, not quite going his way.
James is being readied on the touchline.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:46 , Alex Young54min: Another show of nerves from Sanchez as he throws himself into a group of bodies and gets nowhere near the ball.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
13:46 , Alex YoungNoni Madueke continues to cause all sorts of problems down the flank. Very tempted to lean a few rows back and ask Maresca why he’s never tried this combination before.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:44 , Alex Young52min: Jackson is down clutching his wrist after a bit of handbags with Branthwaite. Six of one... et cetc
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:41 , Alex Young49min: Another corner for Chelsea, this one squeezes to Madueke who forces a good save from Pickford at the near post.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:39 , Alex Young48min: First corner of the half for Chelsea, Neto floats it in but it’s headed clear. A waste.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:37 , Alex Young47min: Alcaraz is on for Ndiaye.
Second half!
13:37 , Alex Young46min: Back underway.
Any changes to be made at the break? Moyes will be tempted.
Jackson's goal is the difference at the break, which takes Chelsea into fourth as it stands.
Surely Everton improve after the break?
Half-time!
13:21 , Alex Young50min: There’s the whistle.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:18 , Alex Young46min: Four minutes added on.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:18 , Alex Young45min: Neto just sent Gueye for some chips as he stormed down the right flank, but then met the Branthwaite brick wall.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:17 , Alex Young43min: Chelsea look fairly comfortable as half-time approaches. Beto looking quite isolated.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:14 , Alex Young41min: They both shake hands. No hard feelings. Play on.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:12 , Alex Young39min: My word, Sanchez doesn’t half make it easy for himself. He’s run out and clattered into Mykolenko while trying to collect the ball.
Sanchez gets the free kick but not sure what else he could have done.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:10 , Alex Young37min: Madueke with a flicked header from Palmer's speculative cross forward. He’s come off worse, too, but looks OK to continue.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:06 , Alex Young33min: Great cross-field ball from Caicedo to Madueke, who drills a cross into the area which eventually falls to Fernandez to fire at goal but his shot is blocked.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
13:03 , Alex Young29min: How do Everton respond? They need to get their attacking players on the ball, for starters.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
13:01 , Alex YoungThat’s a terrific turn and finish from Jackson, and not the one of a striker lacking for confidence. His first goal in 14 games and more than four months. Could be a big one, too.
GOAL!
13:00 , Alex Young27min: Breakthrough!
Pickford’s goal kick won back by Chelsea almost immediately, it’s played to Jackson on the turn, one touch to control and another to beat Pickford from the edge of the area!
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:59 , Alex Young26min: Cucurella almost opens the scoring after Everton falls to clear a Fernandez free kick. He wins a corner.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
12:57 , Alex YoungThis system gives Maresca more control in midfield and gets Caicedo, Lavia and Fernandez into the same team. It does, however, come at the cost of blunting what is, oddly, one of their most potent attacking weapons in Marc Cucurella.
He’s playing much deeper than usual today.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:57 , Alex Young24min: Superb from Caicedo to take the ball off Beto’s bonce and then follows up with tough, sliding clearance.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:55 , Alex Young23min: It’s just not quite clicking for either team at the moment.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:52 , Alex Young20min: Corner comes in, it lands at Jackson’s feet but the striker then fouls Harrison while trying to control the ball.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:51 , Alex Young19min: Neto cuts in from the right and wins another corner off Branthwaite.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:49 , Alex Young17min: Everton struggling to get out, but their shape is still frustrating Chelsea.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
12:47 , Alex YoungTerrific play from Madueke. You could see he was hesitant to shoot coming in on his weaker foot but he had nothing else on and it was a decent effort in the end.
He’s made a bright start in an unfamiliar role.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:46 , Alex Young14min: Madueke forces Pickford into a smart save down to his right after cutting inside from the left.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:45 , Alex Young13min: Second corner is sent into the box, Branthwaite heads clear.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:44 , Alex Young12min: First corner for Chelsea after Jackson’s shot is deflected behind.
Corner is played short to Palmer, who finds Lavia to float a ball to the back post... and Colwill wins another corner.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:44 , Alex Young11min: Lavia again pulling the strings as Madueke makes the run, but his team-mate’s pass is all off and the move breaks down.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:42 , Alex Young8min: First chance for Neto is to stretch his legs as Lavia sends him scampering into the area, but Pickford is quick off his line to collect.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:38 , Alex Young5min: Heart-in-mouth moment for Sanchez as he grabs the ball ahead of Beto inside his area but then sees it slip out of his hands. He does smother at the second attempt, but not the calm start he would have wanted.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
12:36 , Alex Young4min: Madueke wins the ball back deep into Everton’s half and darts into the area, but Patterson and O’Brien combine to get the ball back.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
12:35 , Alex Young“Interesting to see Noni Madueke start on the left here. We know that Pedro Neto is better on the right but he’s always been the one shifted to accommodate both players. Not today.“
3min: Chelsea with all the early possession, which Everton are seemingly content with.
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
12:33 , Alex Young“Chelsea have been quite coy about where Enzo Maresca would sit to watch this game, but now we know. He’s just walked in and sat at the back of the press box.“
Kick-off
12:31 , Alex Young1min: Here we go!
Here come the teams.
Final prep.
Enzo Maresca to TNT Sports
12:11 , Alex Young"We are going to try to win all the games. We are in a position now where we need to win, and we hope that starts today."
"Romeo is back, he's been training with us for a week. He is getting better and needs minutes. The decision is all to do with the gameplan and James is ready to come in if needed."
Malik Ouzia at Stamford Bridge
12:05 , Alex YoungI feel like this has the potential to be a really awkward afternoon for Chelsea if they’re not at it. Early kick-off, a little bit laboured out of the blocks and all of a sudden they could find a bit of desperation creeping in.
Of course, Everton will have to be at it, too, which they haven’t quite been of late following the superb run of form inspired by David Moyes’s return that made them safe.
Top-five race as it stands
11:58 , Alex YoungChelsea will know anything less than a win could be hugely costly.
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No Enzo Maresca on the touchline due to a ban, so assistant Willy Caballero will be deputising.
One change for Chelsea and perhaps a surprise to see Reece James dropped, though it was always going to be a stretch to seem him start three games in a row.
Romeo Lavia comes in for his first start in three months as Moises Caicedo moves to right-back.
For Everton, Armando Broja is ineligible to face his parent club so Beto starts up front. James Tarkowski's season is over due to hamstring surgery, so Nathan Patterson comes in a right-back.
Confirmed team news in full
11:20 , Alex YoungChelsea XI: Sanchez; Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Lavia, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson
Subs: Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, James, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall, Nkunku, Sancho, George
Everton XI: Pickford; Patterson,O'Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Harrison, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Beto
Subs: Virgínia, Begovic, Keane, Young, Coleman, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam, McNeil, Chermiti
Chelsea XI
11:16 , Alex YoungAnd the hosts!
How we line-up 🆚 Everton! ✊#CFC | #CHEEVE pic.twitter.com/VbsPWVHhPm
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 26, 2025
Everton XI
11:15 , Alex Young...the visitors.
Your Everton XI for today's clash at Chelsea! ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/oEXC7ExXe0
— Everton (@Everton) April 26, 2025
Team news is imminent.
Palmer goal drought is a 'mental thing'
11:07 , Alex YoungChelsea head coach Enzo Maresca blamed a "mental thing" for Cole Palmer's goal drought and insisted the England forward is happy at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer last scored on January 14 in a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth having previously netted 14 times this season in the Premier League, including four in the first half against Brighton in September.
It is by far the longest fallow period of the 22-year-old's Blues career and has coincided with a dip in Chelsea's form that has seen them win only six of their last 17 in the league, slipping from second to sixth.
"For sure it's a mental thing, it's not tactical or technical," said the Italian.
"Cole is still the player who scored 14 goals in 20 games. The style is the same, the manager is the same, the club is the same. Nothing has changed around Cole. It's just mentally in this moment.
"You can see he's a little bit worried because he wants to help the team. You can see he's struggling a bit on that. But he showed how happy he was after Fulham. It's just a matter (whether) we can win games. For sure he's going to score goals.
"If you go back game by game, he had at least every game one or two chances, so it's not about how the team is playing."
Maresca warns Champions League failure will impact Chelsea transfers
10:56 , Alex YoungEnzo Maresca has warned that failing to finish in the top five will have a major impact on Chelsea’s summer business, suggesting their transfer targets will be “completely different” if they do not qualify for the Champions League.
Having at one stage in the season looked certain to secure a Champions League return, the Blues have dropped off badly in the second half of the campaign and are now involved in a major battle for the European places.
Asked whether how the rest of this season plays out will influence plans for this summer’s window, Maresca said: “Absolutely, yes.
“Today, football is not like five or ten years ago when the rules were different. Today’s rules, you have to be careful how much you spend because you can be banned [from competitions] or not in the right place.
“It will be a completely different kind of target if we finish in the Champions League or not.”
The photographers have taken their customary corner flag pic.
Latest match odds
10:38 , Alex YoungLooks like the bookies agree with us this morning.
Match odds to win:
- Chelsea – 19/40
- Draw – 100/30
- Everton – 11/2
(Odds provided by Betway, subject to change.)
Tarkowski ruled out for rest of the season
10:29 , Alex YoungEverton defender James Tarkowski faces a race to be fit for the start of pre-season as he is set to undergo surgery on a hamstring injury.
The veteran centre-back's run of 109 consecutive Premier League appearances has come to an end and already manager David Moyes is anxiously looking towards preparations for the new campaign.
"He is going to be out for the rest of the season," said Moyes.
"He will have an operation on his hamstring and it's a big blow to us because Tarky plays such a big role in how we've done so well.
"I think he will be back (for pre-season) but it could start to eat into that as well."
Chelsea vs Everton prediction
10:21 , Alex YoungChelsea’s win over Fulham was a big result and it’s important they follow that up by beating Everton. It’s the early kick-off so there will be pressure on Maresca’s side and facing a team that will look to soak up pressure could be a problem.
That said, the Blues have enough quality to get the job done. The performance won’t be pretty, but with Champions League qualification at stake, results are all that matters at this stage of the season.
Chelsea to win 2-1
Early Chelsea team news
10:13 , Alex YoungTyrique George is in contention to make his first Premier League start as Chelsea face Everton this afternoon..
George scored his first senior goal during the Conference League quarter-final win over Legia Warsaw earlier this month and then came off the bench to net a vital equaliser in last weekend’s dramatic comeback victory at Fulham.
With Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson both on long goal droughts, calls are growing for academy graduate George to be handed an opportunity from the start.
Chelsea will be without Malo Gusto through injury, meaning Reece James could make a third consecutive start across all competitions.
Christopher Nkunku will also be back in the matchday squad, having been dropped for the trip to Fulham for “technical reasons”.
Wesley Fofana is out for the season for Chelsea and Marc Guiu not quite ready to return just yet, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable.
How to watch Chelsea vs Everton
10:05 , Alex YoungTV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 1. Coverage starts at 11am BST ahead of an 12.30pm kick-off.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Welcome
09:59 , Alex YoungGood morning and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Chelsea and Everton.
It’s a huge game in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League as Chelsea look to finish in the top five. They are currently two points adrift of fifth-placed Newcastle, but can climb into fourth with a win.
Can Everton throw a spanner in the works? Malik Ouzia is at Stamford Bridge ahead of kick-off at 12.30pm. Stick with us.
