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Key occasions
46 min: Everton are the draw specialists this season so Chelsea will need a second. They begin brightly as Neto wins a nook.
Chelsea get the second half underway. Everton have introduced on Alcaraz for the ineffective Ndiaye.
That is Maresca’s view by the way in which. Not the most effective!
HALF TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Everton
Not probably the most thrilling first interval however Chelsea deserve their lead and it was a high quality end from Jackson, who wanted a objective after his drought. Everton have to up it after the break.
45 min +2: Everton win a free-kick within the centre-circle and ship the (extraordinarily) huge males up. Oh, hold on, O’Brien has been advised to sit down again. It doesn’t matter because the half-time whistle goes as Chelsea clear.
45 min +2: Everton pushing because the break nears. Left-back Mykolenko is the one getting area and that could possibly be an space to mine within the second half.
45 min: There will likely be 4 further minutes.
44 min: Mykolenko will get on the tip of a deep cross into the Chelsea field and turns it again into the center. The hosts clear. Everton have it again and Mykolenko once more will get ahead, floating a cross into the centre. The advancing Doucoure tries to get his head on it however can solely get a look, the ball by no means threatening the objective. Everton’s greatest second. It’s taken some time.
43 min: The stadium has gone a bit quiet as Chelsea knock the ball round. Once more, Palmer can’t see a lot forward. Is it him being much less decisive than ordinary or a scarcity of motion?
41 min: A drinks break as Sanchez and Mykolenko lastly get to their ft. The 2 gamers embrace which is a pleasant contact and the sport resumes.
39 min: Right here’s one other coming collectively and this can be a nasty one as Sanchez clatters into Mykolenko. Each gamers want therapy right here. Sanchez caught the ball, type of, however barged into the Everton full-back on his observe by means of.
38 min: Ouch! Madueke will get in a header, simply picked up by Pickford, however bangs into Patterson as he does so. He’s on his ft pretty rapidly.
37 min: That was Jackson’s tenth Premier League objective of the marketing campaign however his first since Chelsea beat Brentford in mid-December.
36 min: Neto will get his skates on down the fitting and Mykolenko is glad the move is overhit and runs by means of to Pickford.
35 min: Chelsea fully dominating the midfield right here, with Enzo Fernandez actually pulling the strings. Cole Palmer nonetheless fairly fairly by means of as he appears to be like to finish his 16-match objective drought.
33 min: Pretty swap out left to Madueke, who holds agency in a problem from Patterson. O’Brien and Branthwaite cope with a cross after which a shot as Chelsea ramp up the stress.
31 min: Can Everton discover a response? There’s little or no coming from their frontmen to this point. Joe Cole says Ndiaye is enjoying too centrally.
29 min: Chelsea are as much as fourth within the dwell desk, forward of Nottingham Forest on objective distinction.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Everton (Jackson 27)
Chalobah wins the ball off Beto within the centre-circle. Enzo performs a straight, easy move forward to Jackson and the centre-forward swivels and, from simply exterior the world, thumps a low shot into the underside nook. Nice end. 1-0 Chelsea.
26 min: Jackson dances previous Branthwaite and is fouled, giving Chelsea a free-kick in a central space. Enzo’s cross is flapped at by Pickford, establishing Cucurella about 15 yards out however his bouncing shot drifts large. However…
24 min: Ndiaye dribbles right into a harmful place and Everton throw a cross into the field which Chalobah does nicely to stretch his neck muscle mass and head clear.
23 min: Midway by means of the primary half and and the xG rely reads: Chelsea 0.08, Everton 0.00.
21 min: Some Everton possession however solely fleeting as Chelsea win again the ball. Madueke tries a cross from the left however O’Brien hacks clear.
19 min: Neto drives and wins Chelsea’s fourth nook of the sport. Up come the centre-backs however it’s a poor floaty supply to Jackson, who fouls on the sting of the field and the second is gone.
18 min: Joe Cole, on co-comms, spots the banned Maresca sat behind the press field and says they’ve given him an terrible viewing seat.
17 min: A graphic exhibits that Chelsea have taken extra photographs at residence than every other workforce this season: 301 of them. They’ve scored with simply 30 although.
15 min: Everton have a primary actual likelihood to interrupt with numbers however move the ball out of play. Only a warning to Chelsea, who’ve simply been the higher facet within the first quarter of an hour.
14 min: Madueke bursts off the left-flank, comes inside and, from contained in the D, thumps a right-foot shot destined for the far nook however Pickford palms it behind. The nook is cleared.
12 min: Chelsea win the primary nook of the sport, down the fitting. They go quick to Palmer, whose angled cross is met by Colwill’s head on the again put up however nodded behind for one more nook. Enzo takes this one from the alternative facet however Branthwaite will get his nut on it. The hosts press once more and Neto’s cross solely simply evades Madueke.
11 min: Colwill performs a move excessive for Palmer and it appears to be like harmful however he’s smothered after briefly getting goalside of the Everton defence. Chelsea prepared to go lengthy right here.
9 min: Neto will get a dash on down the fitting, heading the move into the world however Pickford is out to gather earlier than the winger can get his subsequent contact.
8 min: Chelsea go lengthy however balls like which might be meat and drink for the Everton centre-backs. Branthwaite heads that one away.
7 min: Cole Palmer will get a primary actual contact however sees nothing forward and goes sideways.
5 min: First second for Everton as Lavia, maybe rusty, makes a slipshod problem on Mykolenko. From the free-kick, Harrison’s supply bounces deep into the world and the ball ends again close to the midway. However Everton will wish to check Sanchez and so they pump a ball into the field which the Chelsea goalkeeper nearly grabs from Beto whereas trying removed from convincing within the course of.
4 min: Enzo spreads a ball out to the fitting however Ndiaye is alert and heads again to his goalkeeper. As anticipated, Chelsea bossing the early possession.
2 min: Little bit of a bizarre first kick-out from Pickford though Everton find yourself with a throw.
1 min: An early foul as Beto fouls Cucurella close to the sting of the Chelsea space. From the free-kick, Nicolas Jackson appears to be like to seek out area by means of the center however Everton have him lined.
Everton get the ball rolling. We’re off!
Right here come the groups. A heat handshake between Chelsea’s Reece James (a sub right now) and Everton’s Jordan Pickford, England teammates of ccourse.
Kick-off 5 minutes away now. In the meantime…
Nicholas Means: “Mourinho might need been Macbeth earlier in his profession, however today he’s extra like King Lear.”
John Cox: “Mourinho must be lago, absolutely?”
David Moyes’ Premier League report at Stamford Bridge exhibits no wins from 19 video games. He has a number of like this at huge grounds, doesn’t he? Anfield springs to thoughts. Right here he’s talking to TNT’s Darren Fletcher, who begins by wishing the Everton boss a cheerful birthday (62) for yesterday.
Moyes on his gamers: “They’ve picked themselves up fully, bought some good outcomes, bought themselves in place the place we’re secure now within the Premier League. They’ve all stepped up. Their kind has been nearly as good as groups on the prime finish of the league in the intervening time. We clearly lack some high quality, we have to change some issues in the summertime however I’ve to say this group of gamers have completed rather well.”
Cormac Culkeen writes: “Absolutely if we’re speaking about soccer and Shakespeare, Joseph Mourinho is the perfect Macbeth? Suits the idea completely, I feel.”
Enjoyable reality: there was a South African soccer referred to as MacBeth Sibaya.
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has additionally been talking to TNT Sports activities: “The morale is sweet. At present is a vital recreation for us. We had a superb comeback final weekend so right now we now have a superb alternative to get one other three factors and be prepared for the final video games.
“The followers want to stick with us. We can have moments that we have to endure but when we keep collectively we will do it. We now have ready nicely for the sport and we all know it’s huge for us. We’re going all out for all the things.”
Enzo Maresco celebrates his fiftieth recreation answerable for Chelsea by being banished from the touchline. “I will likely be watching within the stand behind the bench,” he explains, trying barely sheepish. “We now have 5 video games to go and we’re going to attempt to win all of the video games. For positive, we will begin right now.”
On Cole Palmer’s objective drought, he says: “I’ve a sense right now that it is going to be a superb day for Cole and hopefully I’m not unsuitable.”
Gary Naylor writes: “In Stratford Upon Avon for the matinee of A lot Ado About Nothing. “Beatrice and Benedick in Shakespeare’s unique rom-com set on the planet of top-flight soccer and celeb tradition, the place scandal-filled rivalries are the most popular new factor and lads and WAGs collide.” Would possibly work… and may not. This Beatrice is a journo and Benedick a participant (which kinda is smart), however which different characters from Shakey’s canon map on to footballers? Gazza is Falstaff in fact, Enzo Maresca will likely be holding a watch out for a Cassius and Brutus if he loses right now and I’m more and more inclined to forged Reuben Amorim as Prospero, trying to find the previous magic on his lonely Outdated Trafford island.”
Ship in any Bard banter right here. I’m not a lot use, having tuned out a bit throughout English Lit though I did go on a sixth-form journey to Stratford to see Shakey’s work. Bother is, my fundamental recollection is shopping for a New Order album in an area report store. ‘Brotherhood’ I feel.
Peter Crouch on TNT now cracking a gag about his tan. It’s as a result of he’s nearer the solar as a consequence of being tall, he quips.
Beto had a spurt of 5 targets in 5 video games again in February however the Everton striker has misplaced his scoring contact since. Throw in a pair of video games for his nation, Guinea-Bissau, to make this stat stand out extra and he’s gone 9 video games with out a objective.
That Chelsea entrance 4 actually has baggage of expertise. Neto has been a bizarre one this season. The worry was that he’d spent half of it on the sidelines having completed his hammy however the backside line is that he’s simply not been superb: 5 targets in 39 apperances and solely 4 within the league. Possibly the contact, flip, bang winner he fired residence in injury-time in opposition to Fulham final weekend is an indication of issues to come back.
Yara El-Shaboury
Yara El-Shaboury is our roving reporter at Stamford Bridge right now and she or he brings you this…
Yesterday, Enzo Maresca stated Chelsea’s switch plans in the summertime will hinge on the workforce qualifying for the Champions League subsequent season and right now’s early kick-off in opposition to Everton will likely be an enormous consider whether or not that dream will come to fruition.
The house facet have struggled in entrance of objective of late, with a number of of their forwards out of shape. That hasn’t deterred the Chelsea followers exterior of Stamford Bridge although. A pack of followers are in full voice, singing ‘Cole Palmer, he’s going to attain’ whereas ready for the workforce bus. Not a very inventive chant however one which exhibits how a lot perception supporters have within the 22-year-old who’s on a 16-game objective drought. He begins alongside Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto and Nicolas Jackson.
For Chelsea, that is Romeo Lavia’s first begin since January. It’s an honest reality however nothing in comparison with the stat that Cole Palmer hasn’t scored for 16 video games. With Lavia partnering Enzo Fernandes in central midfield, Moses Caicedo is shunted to right-back, that means skipper Reece James solely begins on the bench.
How bizarre to checklist an Everton workforce with out writing the title Tarkowski. A hamstring harm has dominated the defender out for the season and his absence right here ends a run of 109 consecutive Premier League video games.
Groups
Chelsea: Sanchez, Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Lavia, Enzo, Madueke, Palmer, Neto, Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Tosin, James, Dewsbury-Corridor, George, Sancho, Nkunku.
Everton: Pickford, Patterson, O’Brien, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison, Ndiaye, Beto.
Subs: Virginia, Begovic, Keane, McNeil, Chermiti, Younger, Coleman, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire).
Preamble
Chelsea have performed 49 matches in all competitions this season and simply two have ended goalless. The primary was in opposition to Everton three days earlier than Christmas, a end result which ended an eight-game profitable streak and sparked a decline in fortunes. Enzo Maresca’s facet misplaced their subsequent two matches. In reality, that Everton stalemate might be a turning level from which they’ve by no means actually recovered. Chelsea nonetheless have hopes of a top-five end and a Champions League spot subsequent season however it’s completely within the steadiness. With Liverpool and Arsenal taking on two locations, it’s now a five-horse race for the remaining three between Man Metropolis (61pts), Nottingham Forest (60), Newcastle (59), Chelsea (57) and Aston Villa (57). Chelsea, Forest and Newcastle have a recreation in hand following Man Metropolis’s dramatic 2-1 in win over Villa in midweek.
For Everton, the David Moyes new supervisor bounce has gone moderately flat. The returning hero led his facet to a flurry of factors to instantly rule out any fears of relegation however a present thermometer verify exhibits only one league win in eight. A kinder take is that they’ve drawn 5 of these video games and the one defeats have been to Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis.
If all that means Everton may simply nick one other level right here, the final assembly between the pair at Stamford Bridge doesn’t. Rewind to April 2024 and Chelsea thrashed the Toffees 6-0, a younger chap referred to as Cole Palmer ending with 4 targets after finishing a hat-trick inside half-hour.
With all the things nearly rubber-stamped on the prime and backside of the desk, the battle for European spots is the place it’s at now. Let’s get this factor on! Kick-off is at 12.30pm.