Everton 0-2 Chelsea: Neto 46, 90
Xabi Alonso said he did not want Chelsea worrying too much about clean sheets for now. But he’ll still be thrilled after the Blues secured victory at Everton with their first league clean sheet since January, even if the win was marred by a serious head injury to goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
The goalkeeper collided with Jarrad Branthwaite in the second half as both challenged for a free-kick delivered by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. He needed extensive treatment on the pitch before medical staff placed him in a neck brace and carried him away on a stretcher. He was taken to hospital afterwards.
Pedro Neto scored twice in the second half to subdue Everton, who had matched Chelsea for much of the first half but failed to take their chances. Their defending also let them down after the break, with Jordan Pickford unable to keep out either of Neto’s efforts.
The defeat ended a promising start to the campaign for David Moyes’s team. The Toffees started the game unbeaten this season and had enough opportunities to trouble their visitors, but they lacked the finishing needed to take something from the game.
They began well and forced Martinez into several saves. Thierno Barry had one of their clearest chances when Jack Grealish delivered an excellent cross into the box, but the striker’s header went straight at Chelsea’s goalkeeper from close range.
Martinez also dealt with a difficult effort from Barry and tipped a Grealish volley over the crossbar as Everton sought to take control. The hosts’ poor delivery from set-pieces, however, repeatedly let them down.
Chelsea gradually found their footing before half-time and came close to taking the lead through Moises Caicedo. The midfielder met Jordan Henderson’s corner with a powerful volley, but the ball struck the angle of the post and crossbar.
There was plenty of tension as Harrison Armstrong and James Tarkowski were booked for Everton, and Morgan Rogers too went into the book all before the break.
Rogers was fortunate to avoid further punishment in the second when he caught James Garner high on the shin during a challenge for the ball. Referee Paul Tierney took no further action, much to Everton’s disgust.
The decision became more controversial after the break when Rogers helped create Chelsea’s opening goal just 44 seconds into the second half.
The forward drove down the left after receiving the ball from Jorrel Hato. A low cross into the penalty area met a touch from Tarkowski, taking the ball towards Neto, who found space to shoot. Pickford got a hand to it but could not prevent it from creeping beneath his arm and into the net.
Everton needed a response but struggled to summon it. Mike Penders, who came on for Martinez, had an easy enough time on his Premier League debut for Chelsea and his only effort was to punch away a Garner cross.
The game was sealed in stoppage time when Henderson’s free-kick hit Barry before deflecting off Tyrique George and Vitalii Mykolenko. The loose ball fell to Neto, who rolled it past Pickford into the bottom corner.
