By RIATH AL-SAMARRAI, CHIEF SPORTS FEATURE WRITER
Published: 12:35 EST, 13 December 2025 | Updated: 12:36 EST, 13 December 2025
Memories only count for so much in the creation of World Cup squads. With that in mind, Cole Palmer chose a decent moment to offer a reminder of what he can bring to a party when his body is willing to play ball.
Sadly, such favourable conditions have been beyond his reach in this of all seasons, but it will surely count for something that Thomas Tuchel was here on a day when Palmer shivered in celebration like the ice-veined menace of healthier times.
It wasn't the finest goal he has ever scored. And it wasn't one that will echo alongside the clever shimmies, dinks and slices of ingenuity which make him so admired in a congested market of gifted English No 10s.
But for context it was near enough perfect, both for Tuchel's presence and the related fact that Palmer was playing at Stamford Bridge for the first time since the opening weekend of the season.
A bad toe and a potentially chronic groin issue have accounted for the rest, and might yet eat further into this campaign – he was only fit enough for an hour. But within that run-out, his intervention in the 21st minute effectively won the game.
Cole Palmer fired his way into World Cup contention with his goal for Chelsea against Everton
England boss Thomas Tuchel was in the stands at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea triumphed 2-0
First came the precision of his run from the blindside of two defenders, before a touch on the outside of his left boot controlled a clever ball from Malo Gusto and set him one on one with Jordan Pickford. He duped his England team-mate by eyeing the far post and instead threaded the limited space at the near. Lovely stuff. Quintessential Palmer. The kind of smooth goal that is far harder to score than it looks and a distillation of how easy he can make it seem.
With some luck, it will only serve as the start of a sustained revival and not a prelude to further interruptions. Enzo Maresca will likely feel the same way about his wider side, which followed the trouncing of Barcelona and the holding of Arsenal by losing two and drawing one.
The inconsistencies of such a young squad have been shown up by the weakening of their title charge in recent weeks, but this was a big win against an Everton side that arrived with four wins in five.
Had David Moyes's side shown some greater quality in front of goal, they might have got something out of this one, too, but they let Chelsea escape. For that, Maresca will reserve special praise for Malo Gusto. He made the first goal for Palmer and claimed the second one for himself. He was excellent.
He was also one of four changes to the side beaten by Atalanta, in line with Maresca's habit for tweaking. Of those he kept the same, Reece James started a for a third time in seven days as cover for Moises Caicedo in midfield.
He would go on to orchestrate much of what Chelsea did well, but Tuchel and Maresca will no doubt share some relief that Caicedo's three-game suspension elapsed with this fixture. James's durability makes a risk of such a heavy workload.
Of fringe interest to Tuchel, the recent form of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has also been excellent after the frustrations of his single season at Chelsea. That he left the field after 14 minutes with a hamstring injury was bitterly unfortunate and will concern David Moyes.
For a while, that setback was the only notable aspect of a plodding match. But then Palmer had his moment.
Chelsea captain Reece James orchestrated much of what Chelsea did well in the midfield
Enzo Maresca wore a huge grin after his inconsistent side secured a big win over the Toffees
While the finish was strong and served a narrative, credit must go to Gusto for an assist of subtle quality – with one glance he picked up the path Palmer's run and then rolled a superb little ball that bypassed three Everton shirts. Both the thought and execution were razor sharp.
Much like Maresca's side as a collective, Gusto can infuriate. But this was one of his finest days, underlined by his subsequent role in the creation and completion of the goal for 2-0.
It all happened in a blink, which is to say the ball travelled from the hands of Robert Sanchez to the Everton in the space of three passes and via the contributions of three men. Gusto covered off the first 40 yards or so of the journey with a direct, aggressive surge through the middle, before receiving the key pass from Pedro Neto, who had skinned Vitali Mykolenko at left back.
That was an exhibition of the kind of speed and purpose that Chelsea have in their locker. And yet between those two goals were chances that showcased their many frailties – each of James Tarkowski, Thierno Barry and Jack Grealish had good opportunities for 1-1.
The vulnerabilities continued into the second half, with Grealish going close and Iliman Ndiaye hitting the post, either side of James free-kick that Pickford nudged over the bar.
Chelsea 2-0 Everton: Match Facts and Player Ratings
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez 6.5; Gusto 8, Fofana 7.5, Chalobah 6.5, Cucurella 7; James 7.5, Fernandez 6.5; Neto 7, Palmer 7 (Santos 58, 6), Garnacho 6 (Gittens 65); Joao Pedro 6 (Estevao 80)
Subs not used: Jorgensen, Tosin, Badiashile, Hato, Acheampong, Guiu
Booked: Fofana
Manager: Enzo Maresca 7.5
Everton (4-2-3-1): Pickford 7; O'Brien 6.5, Tarkowski 6.5, Keane 7, Mykolenko 5.5; Gueye 6.5, Garner 7; Ndiaye 6, Dewsbury-Hall 6 (Alcaraz 14, 6), Grealish 6.5 (Dibling 84); Barry 6 (Beto 68)
Subs not used: Travers, Patterson, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Campbell, McNeil
Manager: David Moyes 6
Referee: Thomas Bramall 7