Everton earned a much-needed win as they beat Chelsea 2-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday evening.
The Londoners were the better side throughout the majority of the game against a toothless Everton side. However, Marco Silva’s men claimed the lead only minutes after the break as Richarlison steered home from only a matter of yards out. They doubled that advantage as Gylfi Sigurdsson’s penalty was saved but he managed to tuck home the ricochet.
Chelsea dominate opening period
The visitors started the better of the two sides and had a few early chances to take the lead. Eden Hazard at first tested Jordan Pickford with a low strike before cracking the base of the post with a deflected effort.
Gonzalo Higuain then also went close to opening the scoring as his scuffed finish trundled past the Everton goalkeeper only for Michael Keane to get back and clear the ball off of the line.
The game then began to stagnate slightly with the likes of Jorginho, Ross Barkley and Andre Gomes all trying their luck from range. It took until only a few minutes before the break for the next chance to come but Pedro did brilliantly to ride a handful of challenges before putting a low effort just wide of Pickford’s post. The Spaniard did score as he slammed the ball into the roof of the net with a stunning finish but the linesman’s flag intervened and chalked the goal off.
Richarlison reacts first to give Everton unlikely lead
For all of Chelsea’s dominance throughout the first-half of the game, it was actually Silva’s troops who resumed the better. First Bernard could not quite stretch enough to turn home Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s dangerous cross before Gomes forced the best out of Kepa with a brilliant drive towards the top corner.
The hosts did eventually take the lead as the Spaniard palmed out Calvert-Lewin’s header from a corner but only straight to Brazilian Richarlison who was alive to force the ball in from only a matter of yards.
Blues look to react but Toffees double the lead from the spot
As in the first-half, Chelsea did still create chances but were not quite able to punish their hosts. Marcos Alonso lashed the ball into the side-netting from inside the box. Then, Pickford pulled off an excellent low stop to deny Higuain.
The hosts were then gifted a wonderful opportunity to extend their advantage though as Richarlison was taken down in the box. Sigurdsson took the ball and saw his awful penalty stopped but the ball fortunately came back to him, with the Icelandic midfielder tucking it into the empty net.
Substitute Theo Walcott really should have wrapped up the points but could not quite beat Kepa one-on-one but it did not matter as the Toffees closed out a memorable home win under Silva.
Final Thoughts
Following the first-half, it would have been tough to see this result having occurred. The hosts really struggled to create any sort of openings with Chelsea pretty much dominating the ball. However, the Blues passed up numerous chances which always left Everton with a chance of winning the game and they did just that as they found that clinical edge after the break. The Toffees remain 11th but are only four points behind seventh-placed Wolves. Meanwhile, Chelsea stay in sixth and three points off the Champions League places.
Match Report
Everton: Pickford (6); Digne (6), Mina (6), Keane (7), Coleman (7); Gomes (6) (Schneiderlin (6), 68′), Gueye (6); Richarlison (7), Sigurdsson (7) (Davies (N/A), 86′), Bernard (6) (Walcott (N/A), 78′); Calvert-Lewin (7).
Chelsea: Kepa (5); Alonso (4), Luiz (5), Rudiger (6), Azpilicueta (5); Barkley (5) (Loftus-Cheek (6), 65′), Jorginho (7) (Hudson-Odoi (6), 74′), Kante (6); Hazard (6), Pedro (5), Higuain (6) (Giroud (5), 66′).
Goals: Richarlison (49′), Sigurdsson (72′)
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Yellow Cards: Alonso (36′), Gomes (59′), Rudiger (61′)
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