The Joe Thomas verdict from Stamford Bridge as Everton's long wait for a Premier League win at Chelsea goes on after they went down to a 2-0 defeat
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Head Coach David Moyes 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)
Everton boss David Moyes reacts after he sees another chance go begging for his side in their 2-0 loss at Chelsea
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Chelsea captain Reece James walked across to the limping Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and consoled his former team-mate as he left the match to applause from both sets of supporters. The 27-year-old, Everton’s star man through a month of thrilling victories, hobbled straight down the tunnel and David Moyes now faces a nervous wait to learn the severity of the problem.
This scene unfolded too early to declare it a defining moment but its significance was lost on no-one on the pitch or in the stands.
Dewsbury-Hall had been Everton’s talisman during a run that saw them end miserable records at Manchester United and Bournemouth and at home to Fulham. He added the gloss on last week’s thrashing of Nottingham Forest and even against Newcastle United, the one aberration in an exceptional five-match spell for Moyes, he scored what he views as the best goal of his career.
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If the Blues were to end another record of torment, the club not having won in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge since 1994, he would have been key.
In the end, it was the opening act of a 2-0 defeat that held frustration for an Everton team that created a series of good chances they were punished for not taking.
Dewsbury-Hall’s early exit against his former club did not stop the Blues from enjoying good moments in this match. This side, typically, has too much quality to completely disappear from a game.
But it was the catalyst for a costly meltdown as Chelsea took the lead and almost added to it as Everton lost shape and composure in the 10 minutes that followed.
The hosts took the lead with the first big chance of the game as Malo Gusto threaded Cole Palmer between Idrissa Gueye and Vitalii Mykolenko.
Chelsea’s No.10 delivered a devastating performance in this fixture two years ago and once again used the Blues as an opportunity to showcase his prowess.
Moments later, Alejandro Garnacho fizzed an effort wide of the back post before Carlos Alcaraz- who had replaced Dewsbury-Hall - played a back pass that became a through-ball for the winger, who took it in his stride but slotted wide of the post.
Further chances followed and a template became clear with the hosts targeting Everton’s left. Pedro Neto and Palmer doubled up to give Mykolenko nightmares and twice Enzo Fernandez attacked dangerous crosses from that side.
The Blues survived that onslaught and grew into the game, enjoying a strong patch in which they targeted the opposite corner of the pitch, with Jake O’Brien repeatedly getting behind Marc Cucurella. One cross was delivered invitingly to the feet of Iliman Ndiaye but a player who has been a source of magic this season fluffed his opportunity.
When Gueye then found himself beyond the Chelsea defence his cross was flicked by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez - the touch taking it through the legs of Thierno Barry, who was stretching to meet the ball.
Everton had further chances and legitimate frustrations as the game moved towards the break. Moyes was left furious when Gueye was taken out by Fernandez only for referee Thomas Bramall to wave another Chelsea attack forward. Ndiaye was clearly grappled by Wesley Fofana in the penalty area during a corner. The anger would grow in the second half as the likes of Cucerella and others did well to avoid bookings.
This Blues team had the courage and the ability to end a 31-year winless record in this part of the capital but not the luck and, for the quality that does exist in this team, it is also one of limitations.
O’Brien’s sliced ball into the stands was a reminder he is more centre back than right back, while Mykolenko continued to struggle on the other side. After Jack Grealish’s dinked near post effort was blocked by Sanchez, Gusto made them pay.
Neto tore past the Ukraine international and pulled back to the full-back-turned midfielder, who broke off the back of Gueye to meet the ball ahead of James Tarkowski and poke in at the near-post.
There were scenes of intrigue in the tunnel before the start of the second half as Jordan Pickford discussed decisions with Bramall and Tarkowski led what looked like an intense briefing to the rest of his defence.
Initially, the match looked set to drift as so many have done for Everton at this ground in the last few decades, with Garnacho missing a good chance to end the affair as a contest and Pickford leaping to tip over a James free-kick.
The Blues stayed in the game, though, and spent the last 30 minutes providing Moyes with a catalogue of head-in-hands moments.
Grealish had a header pushed over the bar by Sanchez then later shot across the face of goal when he met a dangerous back post cross from Alcaraz. Moyes was holding his head after that chance - a second such stance in as many minutes after Alcaraz chose to take a touch instead of shooting first time when he met Mykolenko’s cross.
Chelsea posed a threat as they went through their changes, bringing on talents like Estevao and Jamie Gittens - who shot over after picking up the pieces when the Everton defence misjudged a long ball.
But the Blues repeatedly came close to the goal that could have set fire to the final minutes of this game. When Ndiaye, moved to the left after a late double substitution, saw a shot bounce off the inside of the post it summed up the visitors' afternoon - close, but neither good enough nor lucky enough to break another curse in this season of progress.
The away end gave the ultimate judgement on this performance, and on the state of play as Everton head into a busy period without Ndiaye and Gueye, who will depart for the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, and with new fears over the fitness of Dewsbury-Hall.
While the game looked lost in the final minutes it was that corner of Stamford Bridge that was loudest - a ringing endorsement of a team that has brought them joy and jubilation in strange places this season, even if this old ground was indeed a bridge too far.