Chelsea found the clinical edge Everton lacked at Goodison Park, with Pedro Neto scoring twice after the interval to secure a 2-0 win and pull Xabi Alonso’s side firmly into the European places race. It was a hard result on Everton, who had carried more of the first half, but the afternoon was overshadowed by Emiliano Martínez’s second-half concussion after a heavy collision with Jarrad Branthwaite.
Why it landed this week
- Chelsea
- Everton
- Pedro Neto
- Emiliano Martínez
- David Moyes
- Jordan Pickford
The match took its time to wake up. There was no shot until the 13th minute, no effort on target before the 15th, and the first corner arrived two minutes later. Everton’s left flank, with Jack Grealish carrying much of the creative burden, was the livelier route, while Cole Palmer’s early long-range effort was gathered comfortably by Pickford.
Jordan Henderson was loudly jeered whenever he received possession, the Goodison crowd remembering his Liverpool past. The game then gained a little bite when Henderson and James Tarkowski became involved in a confrontation on 33 minutes.
Everton had the better openings before the break. Tierno Barry headed a Grealish cross towards goal, only for Martínez to stop him, and the Argentine goalkeeper soon used his fingertips to turn away a Grealish strike from the edge of the box. Barry troubled Martínez again as Everton pressed their advantage.
Chelsea’s clearest first-half moment fell to Moisés Caicedo five minutes before the interval. His right-footed drive struck the frame of Pickford’s goal. Pedro Neto then drew a save from the Everton goalkeeper in first-half stoppage time with a shot from distance.
There was also a contentious moment when Rogers caught James Garner with his studs showing. Already booked, the Chelsea forward escaped a second yellow from referee Paul Tierney after a stoppage while Garner received treatment.
Neto changes the shape of the afternoon
The contest turned almost immediately after the restart. Just 30 seconds into the second half, Hato delivered into the box, Palmer could not make the decisive contact, and Neto finished the loose ball to give Chelsea the lead.
It came against the run of the first-half play and left Everton, whose unbeaten record was now under threat, needing a response. Moyes sent George on for Maitland-Niles, while Chelsea began to hold the ball more effectively and take some of the air from the home side’s game.
The most worrying incident came in the 74th minute. Martínez collided heavily with Branthwaite and remained down for nine minutes. Clearly distressed and suffering concussion, the former Aston Villa goalkeeper was carried from the pitch on a stretcher. Young goalkeeper Mike Penders replaced him.
The long interruption drained much of the remaining momentum. Moyes continued to alter his side in search of at least an equaliser, but Chelsea nearly settled matters in the 85th minute when João Pedro was denied by an excellent Pickford save.
Neto supplied the final word on 90 minutes. With 11 minutes of added time still to play, he reacted quickest to a rebound in the six-yard box to score his second and seal three valuable points. Everton had enjoyed plenty of the better football before the interval; Chelsea left with the goals, the clean sheet and a useful step forward in the table.
