Ben Godfrey’s own goal marked the first time Everton had conceded a goal in four games
Chelsea scored one goal each half to hold their own against top 4 rivals Everton and maintain Thomas Tuchel’s unbeaten start as blues boss.
The hosts took the lead when Kai Havertz’s shot distracted Toffees defender Ben Godfrey heavily.
English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved well to contest Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso and Havertz believed he would have scored but handled the ball before the end.
However, the hosts doubled their lead with a Jorginho penalty after Pickford beat the formidable Havertz.
With 10 league games remaining of the season, Chelsea remain fourth and in the final qualifying spot of the Champions League just three points behind third-placed Leicester and four points behind Manchester United in second place.
Crucially, this win puts the Blues four points ahead of Everton in fifth and Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who have a game against Chelsea, to drop to sixth if West Ham lose to Leeds in the late game on Monday avoids.
Chelsea have not been beaten since a 2-0 defeat at Leicester in the penultimate game by Frank Lampard as coach on 19 January. Tuchel suffered one defeat in eleven games.
Chelsea 2-0 Everton: Kai Havertz impressed Thomas Tuchel in the further unbeaten run
Chelsea’s revival continues with a routine win
Chelsea have played in 15 of their last 17 campaigns in the Champions League but were ninth in the Premier League and five points in the top four when they sacked Lampard in January.
Tuchel changed her fortune. That win means they have won six and drawn three of their nine responsible league games, as well as winning games in the FA Cup and Champions League.
The German, who led Paris St-Germain to the 2019-20 Champions League final, made five changes to the side who won 1-0 in Liverpool on Thursday and saw his side dominate possession.
Jorginho volleyed twice from outside the box before taking the lead in the 31st minute.
Alonso fired a low cross from the left and Havertz continued, but it took a major distraction from Godfrey to leave Pickford with no chance.
Havertz believed he had only scored his second Premier League goal since moving from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer when he picked up Callum Hudson-Odoi’s pass and shot past Pickford at the beginning of the second half.
The goal was disqualified, however, as referee David Coote judged the German had handled the ball and video assistant referee Michael Oliver confirmed the decision on the pitch.
It was 2-0 shortly afterwards when Jorginho scored his seventh goal of the season with a quiet penalty as Chelsea scored a routine win.
Chelsea 2-0 Everton: Toffees are “not at their best” in the defeat, said Carlo Ancelotti
Reality check for Ancelotti’s Everton
After Thursday’s 1-0 win at West Brom, Ancelotti, who led Chelsea to Premier League and FA Cup doubles in 2009/10, said he had “dreamed of” getting the Toffees into the Champions League.
But that accomplishment brought them back to reality and showed that they need further improvement if they are to get into the top 4.
They had to wait until the injury break in the first half before testing home goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who scored Andre Gomes with a goal from 25 yards in front of goal – the visitors’ only shot on goal.
Richarlison, who had scored in Everton’s last four games, had a good chance but could only shoot far off balance and from a tight angle.
English striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin also had a quiet evening when the Blues remained clean for the ninth time in eleven games under Tuchel.
Everton never looked like getting back into the game and only a series of saves from Pickford to fend off efforts by Timo Werner, Kurt Zouma, N’Golo Kante and Mason Mount denied Chelsea a bigger lead.
A rare away loss for Everton this season – the stats
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 26 Premier League home games against Everton (won 15). Only against Spurs did the Blues have a longer unbeaten home run in the history of the top class (27 from 1990 to 2016).
- Only against Leeds (35 from 1946 to 2001) did Everton have a longer winless away run in the top division than at Chelsea.
- Only Maurizio Sarri (12 with Chelsea in 2018-19) and Frank Clark (11 with Nottingham Forest in 1994-95) started their management careers in the Premier League with a longer undefeated run than Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel (currently nine, six won, draw) three).
- Everton suffered their first Premier League away defeat since losing to Newcastle in November, ending their unbeaten nine-game run on the road.
- Tuchel is the first manager in Premier League history to see his team concede a goal in each of their first five home games in competition.
- Everton have scored 53 own goals in the Premier League, seven more than any other team in the history of the competition.
- Only Liverpool’s James Milner in 2016-17 (seven out of seven) has scored more goals in a single Premier League season, with all coming from the penalty spot, than Chelsea player Jorginho this season (six out of six).
“We completely controlled it” – what they said
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said in an interview with BT Sport: “We deserved the win. It was a very difficult first half, but we controlled it completely. In the second half we raised our level and made a lot of dangerous attacks.”
“Very happy with Kai. It was the trust we gave him and he used the trust we gave him. He is a player who has the ability to be a dominant figure [attack] and he stepped forward.
“You see the quality of the players and the club. It’s a pleasure to be on the sidelines and to work with the team. Everyone in the club is doing everything possible to survive at this level.”
Speaking to BT Sport, Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “They played better than us. They deserved the win. We were well defensive for 30 minutes. When they scored a goal, the game became difficult for us. They are a good team.”
“Jordan did well. He can do better for the penalty, but it doesn’t change the performance. I think it was a penalty.
“We got the game we planned for 30 minutes. But we have to be honest, we’re not on the same level. We can’t play an open game against this type of team. It was the plan, on the same level Way to play. ” When we played against Liverpool, but we scored early against Liverpool.
“We want to fight for Europe. That is good for us. We will be there until the last game. We are disappointed with this defeat, but not a tragedy. We look to the next game.”
What’s next?
Chelsea Meet Leeds on Saturday (12.30pm GMT). On Wednesday March 17th (8pm GMT) you will play the second leg of the last 16 Champions League games against Atletico Madrid. This will be followed by a home game against Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday 21 March (13:30 GMT).
Everton play Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday (17:30 GMT) before another home game a week later when they entertain Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday 20th March (17:30 GMT).
Constellations
Chelsea
formation 3-4-2-1
16Mendy
28Azpilicueta4thChristensen15thZouma
24James5Jorginho17thKovacic3Alonso
11Werner20thHudson-Odoi
29Havertz
- 16Mendy
- 28Azpilicueta
- 4thChristensen
- 15thZouma
- 24James
- 5Jorginho
- 17thKovacicReplaced byKantéat the 80 ‘protocol
- 3Alonso
- 11WernerReplaced byPulisicat the 90 ‘protocol
- 20thHudson-OdoiReplaced byAssembleat the 66 ‘protocol
- 29Havertz
replacement
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 2Rudiger
- 6thThiago Silva
- 7thKanté
- 10Pulisic
- 18thGiroud
- 19thAssemble
- 21Chilwell
- 22ndZiyech
Everton
formation 3-4-1-2
1Pickford
4thHolgate5Keane22ndGodfrey
17thIwobi21André Gomes6thAllan12thWorthy
10G Sigurdsson
9Calvert-Lewin7thRicharlison
- 1Pickford
- 4thHolgateBooked at 17 minutes
- 5Keane
- 22ndGodfrey
- 17thIwobiReplaced byDaviesat the 56 ‘protocolBooked at 90 minutes
- 21André GomesReplaced byBernardat the 76 ‘protocol
- 6thAllan
- 12thWorthyBooked at 50 minutes
- 10G SigurdssonReplaced bykingat the 70 ‘protocol
- 9Calvert-Lewin
- 7thRicharlison
replacement
- 11king
- 18thNkounkou
- 20thBernard
- 26thDavies
- 31Neves Virginia
- 34Broadhead
- 48John
- 53Tyrian
- 62Onyango
Live text
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End of the game, Chelsea 2, Everton 0.
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The second half ends, Chelsea 2, Everton 0.
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Attempt saved. Mason Mount’s (Chelsea) right-footed shot from outside the box is saved in the center of the goal. Prepared by Christian Pulisic.
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Missed attempt. The header from N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea) from the center of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Marcos Alonso with a cross.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Christian Pulisic replaces Timo Werner.
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Tom Davies (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Tom Davies (Everton).
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Missed attempt. Bernard (Everton’s) right footed shot from outside the box is high and far to the right. Prepared by Tom Davies.
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Corner of Chelsea. The corner was caused by Jordan Pickford.
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Attempt saved. N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea) right footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the lower left corner.
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Attempt saved. Timo Werner (Chelsea) left footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the center of the box by the goalkeeper. Prepared by Mason Mount.
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Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Mason Holgate (Everton).
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Attempt saved. Kurt Zouma’s (Chelsea) header from the center of the penalty area is saved in the middle of the goal. Prepared by Mason Mount with a cross.
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Corner of Chelsea. The corner was caused by Jordan Pickford.
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Attempt saved. Timo Werner (Chelsea) left footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the center of the box by the goalkeeper. Prepared by César Azpilicueta.
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Substitution, Chelsea. N’Golo Kanté replaces Mateo Kovacic.
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Mason Mount (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Bernard (Everton).
