Chris Beesley talking point after Everton go down down to a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Jack Grealish of Everton during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on December 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Jack Grealish reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on December 13, 2025
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Being a cast-off at Manchester City doesn’t condemn you to the football dustbin as two of these team’s talismans have shown in the past. But once again this was Chelsea’s Cole Palmer’s day against Everton, while Jack Grealish was left on the fringes of the action.
The first £100million English footballer when he moved from boyhood club Aston Villa to the Etihad Stadium in 2021, Grealish went on to be a key part of Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side of 2023 that lifted the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
But after becoming surplus to requirements this summer, he has used his loan move to Hill Dickinson Stadium to revive his career.
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The Brummie ace, who won Premier League Player of the Month for the first time in his career in the week of his 30th birthday after four assists in his first two starts, revealed he is loving playing under David Moyes after netting Everton's first-ever match-winner in the competition at the Vitality Stadium in the previous away game, but here he found himself upstaged.
Part of the motivation behind Grealish’s move to Merseyside has been an attempt to work his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s plans in time for next summer’s World Cup finals.
But with the Three Lions boss watching in the stands at Stamford Bridge, it was one of the younger generation of English attacking midfield talents, Cole Palmer, who once again excelled against the Blues, some 20 months on from his four-goal demolition job when Sean Dyche’s charges were hit for six here.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Head Coach Thomas Tuchel of England (on right) before the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on December 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
England boss Thomas Tuchel (right) before the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on December 13, 2025
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This wasn’t quite as emphatic, but the Wythenshawe wonder again displayed his cool finishing power to break the deadlock and the disparity in the strength of the respective clubs’ squads was displayed when with the damage done, the 23-year-old was able to go off in just the 58th minute, leaving Grealish to snatch at the couple of inviting chances that came his way.
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