Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, ending a four-match winless streak that had dropped the Blues to fifth place in the Premier League. Cole Palmer scored the first goal in the 21st minute with a calm finish after Malo Gusto threaded a perfect throughball. Gusto himself scored the second goal just before halftime with a clinical counter-attacking strike set up by Pedro Neto.
The result was a big relief for Enzo Maresca’s team, who had been struggling with losses to Leeds and Atalanta and a frustrating goalless draw with Bournemouth. Everton came to Stamford Bridge having won four of their last five games, which put them in seventh place.
However, they still haven’t won a game there in 32 games across all competitions. The visitors had many chances but couldn’t score. Iliman Ndiaye hit the woodwork late in the game, and Robert Sanchez didn’t have to do much to stop them.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Robert Sanchez – 7/10
The Chelsea goalkeeper stayed calm the whole time and didn’t let in a goal, even though he was stuck when Ndiaye’s shot hit the post. He was in charge of his penalty area, expertly catching crosses and showing good footwork when he had the ball at his feet. His positioning kept Everton from getting too close during their short bursts of pressure.
Malo Gusto – 9/10
The best player at Stamford Bridge. Gusto set up Palmer’s first goal with a sharp pass that split the Everton defense. He then scored his own goal before halftime. He showed great composure when he scored on the counterattack by receiving Neto’s pass and putting it in the bottom corner with a strong shot. The French defender put on a full show.
Wesley Fofana – 7/10
Fofana did a great job of anchoring Chelsea’s defense, helping them keep the ball and keeping the backline organized throughout the game. He handled Everton’s attacking threats with relative ease and helped keep the clean sheet with a few key plays.
Trevoh Chalobah – 7/10
Chalobah mirrored Fofana’s strong play at the back. His biggest contribution came near the end of the game when he made a key block to stop Carlos Alcaraz from scoring what would have been a sure goal. His positioning and understanding of the game were key to keeping Chelsea’s two-goal lead.
Marc Cucurella – 6/10
The Spanish left-back did a good job of defending, which made it hard for Everton to attack down his side. Cucurella, on the other hand, had a hard time making an impact in the attacking third and didn’t give Chelsea the offensive outlet they needed from the left side.
Enzo Fernandez: 5/10
The Argentine midfielder didn’t play well and struggled to make an impact on the game. Fernandez had trouble creating chances in the middle of the field and didn’t give Chelsea the creative spark they needed.
Reece James – 7/10
The Chelsea captain showed his physical strength against Everton’s strong midfield. James showed off his energy and strength the whole time, winning important battles in the middle of the field and helping Chelsea stay in control at times.
Cole Palmer: 9/10
Chelsea’s best playmaker had another great game, making a big difference. Palmer’s cold-blooded finish for the first goal set the tone, and his overall play showed why he is still an essential part of Chelsea’s attack. Maresca pulled him out after about an hour to tend to his fitness, but Palmer had already done the damage to Everton.
Pedro Neto – 8/10
The Portuguese winger caused problems for Everton’s defense the whole time with his direct running and creativity. Neto set up Gusto’s goal with a superb counter-attack, showing calmness as he picked out his teammate at just the right time. He was a problem all afternoon because of his speed and trickery.
Alejandro Garnacho: 5/10
It was a frustrating game for the forward, who missed a lot of clear chances to score. Garnacho missed the target many times, even though he was in good positions, and his wastefulness was rather concerning. He needs to get better at finishing.
Joao Pedro: 5/10
The Brazilian forward had a hard time making an impact up front. Pedro had a hard time making a difference in the game and was useless primarily as Chelsea’s main attacker.
Substitutes
Andrey Santos: 6/10
Came on for Palmer and played a steady role in the middle of the field. Santos kept things going while he was on the field, but he didn’t make a big difference.
Jamie Gittens: 6.5/10
Gittens’ cameo was more productive than this on Garnacho’s time on the pitch. He made a few important dribbles that set up dangerous crosses into the box, which showed what he could do.
Estevao: 5/10
The young Brazilian played for about ten minutes but had trouble getting past his defender. In the short time he was on the field, Estevao didn’t pose any real threat to attack.