Match Report

Seldom has a draw felt like such a crushing defeat. Everton came within seconds of a season-igniting victory at Stamford Bridge, their first in the Premier League there since Joe Royle’s second game in charge 22 years ago, but were denied by horrendous officiating that will ensure that what was already an extraordinary game of football will live long in the memory.

It will stick in the craw of supporters, players and manager alike with equal longevity, too. Chelsea were on the brink of another damaging defeat in their train-wreck of a season but were afforded an extra minute beyond the seven indicated by fourth official Craig Pawson (apparently at the prompting of Guus Hiddink) with which to plunder a heartbreaking equaliser from a clearly offside position. The goal was allowed to stand and referee Mike Jones blew the whistle immediately afterwards, leaving Roberto Martinez as angry as Evertonians have seen him in front of the cameras after the match.

Describing the lack of a decision for offside as “horrific” and “diabolical”, the manager probably didn’t go as far as many fans would have wanted him to — FA fine be damned! — as he took issue with the fact that stoppage time was allowed to bleed on, seemingly until Chelsea got the second equaliser they were desperately seeking.

And yet there was still something inevitable about the last-gasp insult inflicted on the travelling Blues who witnessed what was, in terms of the twists and turns in the scoreline, a carbon copy of the calamity at Bournemouth at the end of November. Having not learned from that bitter experience — one that seemed to reverberate through four of the next five Premier League games in which points were dropped either from positions of strength or when the Toffees were leading — Martinez’s men were doomed to repeat it, giving up a 2-0 advantage, grabbing back the lead at the death and then allowing precious seconds of added time (80 of them in this case) to build as they celebrated wildly with their jubilant fans.

What unfolded at the end of an eighth minute of stoppage time was cruel beyond belief – for the third season running they conceded a crucial goal at Stamford Bridge at the last – but Everton were perhaps guilty of making their own bad luck by not pulling everybody back, keeping hold of the ball while they had it and seeing the game out. Gerard Deulofeu’s decision not to turn away from Kenedy and pass backwards but to try and take him on was punished by the Brazilian whose lofted ball eventually ended with John Terry — it f**king had to be him, didn’t it? — stealing in to flick home Chelsea’s third, despite being a yard offside from Oscar’s nod forward.

It was the last act of a contest packed full of incident. Coming off the back of two creditable draws against Tottenham and Manchester City in the Premier League, ones defined by new-found defensive organisation in a team that has become infamous for its generosity at the back, and a win over the Citizens in the League Cup, Everton looked by the time an hour had elapsed to have played this game masterfully.

They had more than matched their supposedly superior hosts in the first half, carving out two clear-cut chances to Chelsea’s one, saved well by Tim Howard from Willian, and were it not for a wayward first-time shot by stand-in right back, Bryan Oviedo, and an excellent save by Thibault Courtois to deny the recalled Kevin Mirallas who turned his marker beautifully and smacked a shot from 20-plus yards, Martinez’s side might have gone into the interval a goal to the good.

They were rewarded for their adventure just five minutes into the second period, however, when strong play and a lay-off by Romelu Lukaku to Leighton Baines ended with the left back searching the Belgian out with a wicked low cross that Terry inadvertently turned into his own net.

It could have been 2-0 just three minutes later when Ross Barkley, who had displayed strength and impressive close control all game up to that point, popped up in the opposition box on the end of Mirallas’s neat pass but smashed a left-foot shot off the outside of the post.

Sensing blood, Everton remained on the offensive, though, and doubled their lead with fine goal just three minutes after that. Baines was again the provider with a low ball that this time he delivered behind Lukaku where Mirallas took one touch to hold off his marker before lashing it past his compatriot in the Chelsea goal to make it 2-0.

Unfortunately, the second goal had the effect of stirring the hornet’s nest and Hiddink’s men responded strongly with a series of raids down the Blues’ right targeting the perceived weak link of Oviedo playing out of position at right back. Cesc Fabregas’s looping flick was pawed away by Howard and Phil Jagielka blocked a shot from Willian as Chelsea pressed but it was a more agricultural route and another blunder by the American that yielded the hosts’ first goal.

Fabregas lofted a ball over Jagielka’s head that was almost impossible to defend for the Everton skipper as it bounced beyond him and Diego Costa took advantage with a well-time shoulder barge to knock the defender off his stride. Howard had hared beyond his 18-yard box but missed the ball completely as the striker prodded it through his legs and Costa had the simple task of banging it into the empty net.

Less than two minutes later, it was 2-2 as the Blues lost their composure and fell into disarray. Twice they gifted Chelsea possession from the kick off, allowing the home side to build in possession and Fabregas wasn’t tracked as he latched onto Costa’s backheel in the Everton box. Fortune would favour the Spanish midfielder, though, who benefited from a heavy deflection off Muhamed Besic as his shot flew past the helpless Howard.

It was to Everton’s credit, however, that while they went to pieces to a degree in an unsettling period of 15 minutes following the hour mark, during which they lost Oviedo to injury, introduced Ramiro Funes Mori and moved Stones to right back, they were able to keep the score level heading into the final quarter of an hour. It was a close-run thing, though, as Costa passed up a gilt-edged chance served up by César Azpilicueta, mis-kicking in front of goal from six-yards out, while Mirallas spurned a wonderful chance at the other end when put clean through as he fired straight at Courtois.

And then came the drama…  Deulofeu, on for Aaron Lennon in a double switch that had also seen Barkley replaced by Steven Pienaar, played one of his sublime, jabbed crosses towards Lukaku but the covering defender knocked it behind. The resulting corner was cleared straight back to the Spanish winger who curled a delicious ball to the back post, where both Lukaku and Funes Mori were lurking, and the Argentine leapt to turn it home almost on the line with the outside of his right boot.

Cue wild celebrations with the Everton fans massed away to the left of goal in which Funes Mori leapt into the first row of seats to be mobbed by jubilant Blues, one of which took his protective headband. Tellingly, however, it would be another minute and 20 seconds before play resumed which, when added to the time to be added for injuries to Oviedo — the Costa Rican was eventually stretchered off — Costa and the various substitutions, would prove crucial almost eight minutes later. Having repelled the Londoners stubbornly in the interim and with their fans whistling desperately for the final whistle, Everton were almost home and dry when the ball was cleared to Deulofeu with 97 minutes and 50 seconds on the clock but his instinct to keep attacking would be his downfall.

Taken in isolation, this was a thrilling game of football decided by a horrendous refereeing decision where Everton were desperately unlucky not to win. They were undone initially by poor defending and a loss of composure that contributed to them giving up another 2-0 lead but, just as at the Vitality Stadium, having regained the lead they simply had to see the game out. As has been the case on far too many occasions this season, they couldn’t and it cost them two more important points.

And therein lies the rub: As heartbreaking as the result was and as much as the sense of injustice burns, this game can't be taken in isolation. It represents the latest instance of a litany of dropped points and another of a dwindling number of opportunities missed to start bridging the points gap to top the four. The Champions League may have been a fanciful notion to some Evertonians this term but where there was opportunity, there was hope —  hope that was strengthened somewhat by what appeared to be a more balanced approach by Martinez since the New Year.

Those few swallows have yet to make a summer, however. There was a feeling that had Ramiro Funes Mori’s goal proved to be the winner, it could have been a real catalyst for the second half of Everton’s season. By the same token, there was a nagging sense that it might have papered over the cracks a little and perhaps masked uncertainty both over Martinez’s ability to manage games from winning positions and his idealistic aversion to running the clock down to preserve a win.

The upshot is that we are still waiting for concrete evidence of progress under this manager while we face the reality that European qualification looks beyond a team that has won just six games out of 22 so far. Hope springs eternal where the cups are concerned and that may prove to be the lifeline in terms of time Martinez needs to continue into next season, but another mid-table finish in the Premier League with the amount talent he has assembled in this squad would only leave question marks over his ability to take Everton forward.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

After an even first half, two goals came thanks to brilliant crosses from Leighton Baines, the first converted inadvertently by Terry, the second a superb volley on the turn from Mirallas. But a dreadful mix-up between Howard and Jagielka let Chelsea back in, and they were soon level off a deflection. After resisting further onslaught, Funes Mori put Everton back into the lead in the 91st minute, only for Terry to steal a draw in the 8th minute of added time.

Kevin Mirallas got a rare start at Stamford Bridge for today's game against Chelsea, along with Bryan Oviedo, with Deulofeu and Funes Mori on the bench.

The game started in fairly pedestrian form, with Chelsea kicking off and making most of the early play until Everton put together a decent passing move to bring in Mirallas down the left but Barkley's shot was blocked.

Mirallas forced Everton's first corner, which Baines swung in well but neither Stones nor Lukaku could convert it. Fabregas got a knee in the back from Bryan Oviedo. Howard gathered a strong high cross. Barkley was fouled by Costa but the free-kick was wasted. Lennon then collided with Mikel, Everton perhaps showing a willingness to mix it a little?

Baines was fouled but nothing given by the ref and Chelsea surged into attack, Willian lashing a shot on goal that Howard was well placed to bat away for a corner that he then gathered. At the other end, a nice ball dinked forward to Mirallas saw him finish but he was offside.

A great move should have produced more but Barkley was again blocked and Oviedo's first-time strike skewed wide of the post. Fabregas decided to press Stones in defence, forcing him to play the ball around. Lukaku got a sniff of a shot but scuffed it very poorly when a clean contact was the minimum requirement.

Costa was very strong, driving in along the byeline until Baines stepped across him, drawing the foul. Lukaku again got another sight of goal but was far too weak in allowing Zouma to command the ball.

Everton needed to be strong in defence, Jagielka getting his head to a dangerous cross, denying Costa, who was making threatening runs that were thankfully offside. Barkley had a marvellous chance to create something but his ball to Mirallas was hopelessly poor. Barkley and Lukaku then passed to eachother on the edge of the Chelsea area and contrived to lose the opportunity.

Barkley got free but had no support; however, strong play from Mirallas won another corner that Baines again delivered well. Some excellent control by Barkley saw a great ball that surprised Mirallas and ran out for a goal-kick. Everton had acquitted themselves well enough, containing the Chelsea threat, but were not completing promising moves with anything approaching a strike on goal.

Stones again was tempted to run the ball forward but ran into a cul-de-sac. Then he was required to play a free-kick upfield but the result was horrible, and it led to a Chelsea corner that fortunately curled out. Mirallas ran across the top of the Chelsea area and put in a great shot that forced a superb save from Courtois.

Everton were getting space and time to bring the ball forward and were putting together some great play in midfield but the crucial pass to create a chance seemed repeatedly lacking at the business end of the field. At the back, they had been solid, and there seemed no reason why improved defence should translate into a lack of inventiveness and belief going forward with the ball into the Chelsea area in the first half.

Despite kicking off the second half, it was a lively restart from Chelsea as Everton possession was squandered cheaply. Mirallas got forward but was driven wide and his shot was ineffective. Jagielka tried the long ball and Lukaku beat Terry to it but could not direct it to a white shirt.

A great move involving Lukaku and Barkley ended with a fantastic cross by Baines that Terry could only deliver into his own net, much to the delight of the traveling fans, as Everton took the lead after 50 minutes.

Another tremendous piece of play, robbing Chelsea in midfield, saw Mirallas pass out to Barkley who smashed a tremendous shot past Courtois but onto the face of the near post... deserved a goal but it was not to be. Oscar replaced Matic.

Another wonderful move from Everton, started by a drive from Barkley into a wall of four players, out to Lennon, who drove around, passed to Baines and a brilliant cross to pick out Mirallas who fired home in superb style.

Chelsea were not going to lie down, and some determined play forced a great one-handed save by Howard and a splendid block by Jagielka. This led to dangerous corners that were defended as Everton rode the anger and frustration of the home side and their crowd. More strong defending required, and Everton seemed to have weathered the storm until Fabregas bamboozled Jagielka and Howard into an awful muddle and he walked the ball into the net behind them.

Moments later, the home side were level, this time, a Fabregas shot took a big deflection beating Howard and the tremendous advantage had been squandered in a few crazy minutes. Oviedo defended a shot, taking the full force of on his lower leg, and it was a depressing sight to see the lad stretchered off, Funes Mori returning to the Everton defence with 10 stitches in a head wound from last weekend, as Stones moved out to right-back.

Everton were struggling to resist the onslaught, and could not play the ball out of their own half. Chelsea were pressing high, and creating another fearsome chance, Azpilicueta who failed to convert from 5 yards. A great ball up to Mirallas should have produced Everton's third but this time, with more space, Mirallas allowed Courtois to close down the angle and kick the ball away.

Costa went down and eventually hobbled off. Baines had to block a fearsome strike from Willian with his body. Martinez made a double change: Deulofeu and Pienaar replacing Mirallas and Lennon, so essentially like for like... except that after some confusion, it was in fact Barkley and not Mirallas who went off.

Everton were under the cosh at times, and were unable to get Deulofeu into the game, each foray forward when they did usually ending in a cheap turnover, and Funes Mori did well to dribble away from Remy. Crosses were finally swung in from Stones (right) and Baines (left) but were simply not good enough.

Deulofeu whipped in a fantastic ball for Lukaku but it was too clever for the big man to control but it did win a corner and there on the far post was Funes Mori in front of Lukaku to finish acrobatically in the 91st minute, his great celebration earning him a yellow card as the Evertonians went completely mad.

But SEVEN minutes of added time... Chelsea threatened from a corner and kept pushing Everton back as they sought another 3-3 draw, Willian firing a deflected shot inches wide. Everton tried to play out the final minutes but gave up possession once again, and were forced to defend desperately as the seconds ticked away, Stones lashing the ball away. But it came back and, with now 8 minutes of added time played, Terry was allowed to bundle the ball past Howard with his heel from a blatantly offside position.

A shocking end to the game, but nothing more than we have come to expect with Everton and poor officiating from Premier League referees.

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Not for the first time in his two-and-a-half-year tenure at Goodison Park, Roberto Martinez recently spoke of how he and his side were primed and looking forward to a "really strong second half of the season." By the halfway stage of 2013-14, his Everton team were in the middle of an excellent run and riding in the top four but last season, the Blues' dire straits and equally dire form made a good showing in the latter half of the campaign imperative.

Now, with just six wins from 21 games in the Premier League so far, Everton's need to finally get going in 2015-16 has become acute and there would no better time – and no better demonstration to support the manager's claim that this team is top-four quality – than to finally win a game at Stamford Bridge after 22 years of trying.

The conditions appear to be favourable in that regard. Guus Hiddink has shown signs of quickly getting Chelsea's pitching ship back on an even keel following Jose Mourinho's departure under a cloud of chaos and player disharmony with wins over Sunderland and Crystal Palace but the Londoners' home draws against Watford and West Brom – both 2-2 – show that they remain vulnerable and can be "got at". And, as Hiddink admits, despite their galaxy of stars, Chelsea are not out of the relegation woods on current form.

The Toffees, meanwhile, arrive in West London with one of the best away records in the top flight and a goals-against tally that is in stark contrast to their home record where they've shipped twice as many. It speaks to how the attacking abandon that has been a feature of Everton's play, particularly at Goodison against supposedly lesser teams, has been their undoing at times and how a more defensive-minded approach on the road has stood them in good stead.

That was abundantly apparent at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening where a magnificent defensive performance helped shut out the division's most prolific attack and scored a morale-boosting goalless draw with Manchester City. It came at the expense of any consistent goal threat in the second half, however, and, as Leon Osman acknowledged after that game, it's up to Everton to find the balance between defensive solidity and attacking potency moving forward. The point gleaned there was, like the 10 other draws so far, annoyingly inconsequential in the context of that push for Champions League qualification and it increases the urgency for some big performances against some big teams in the weeks to come.

As he told the media in his pre-match press conference, Martinez will have the same players available for this one as he did in midweek, with James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman definitely ruled out and Tom Cleverley again rated as 50-50 to be fit. Cleverley suffered a flare-up of a calf problem against City in the League Cup semi-final first leg 10 days ago that he picked up at the tail end of last month, handing the manager something of a selection problem in that undefined left midfield slot.

Osman deputised there on Wednesday evening competently enough but it was his first start of the season and it's unclear whether he would have the stamina for a second in the space of four days. Arouna Kone has filled the role at times this term with middling results while Kevin Mirallas, still favoured on the left by Evertonians frustrated at his contining exile from the starting XI, offers a more potent option if Cleverley can't make it.

On the other flank, with Gerard Deulofeu struggling visibly in recent games to make an impact, Martinez may elect to change things again and recall Aaron Lennon and deploy the Spaniard, who looked leggy in the second half at City before he was substituted, off the bench.

At the back, meanwhile, Coleman's injury means the right-back slot remains a problem area. The bid for Leeds United's Sam Byram is a tacit acknowledgement of the lack of cover Martinez has had in that area given Tony Hibbert's ongoing fitness issues but with that deal unlikely to be completed until next week, the manager is going to have to make do again this weekend. That means playing one of John Stones or Bryan Oviedo out of position, although the former's injury scare at the Etihad might give Martinez pause before using all three of his experienced centre-halves in the same game.

With Eden Hazard missing through injury, Pedro in poor form and his potential replacement Kenedy lacking Premier League experience, Chelsea's chief threat from wide areas is likely to be Willian on the other flank and that might tip things in Oviedo's favour. It will also sharpen the focus on containing the Brazilian – it was his crushing winner in the 89th minute that broke Everton's resistance in this fixture last February – and the likes of Diego Costa and Oscar.

Having narrowly lost at Stamford Bridge by late goals in each of the last two visits and failed to win on this ground since 1994, it's high time that Everton plucked up some adventure and ambition in this fixture to finally make a statement of intent towards bridging what remains a bridgeable gap to the top four places.

Agaim, Martinez speaks of his plans coalescing in the second half of campaigns and with the better defensive organisation offering hope of more balance in the Blues' approach, the hope is that we can finally kick on and put a run of wins together. As West Ham and Crystal Palace before them have shown this season, any team that can string a run of good results together can propel themselves right into the European picture. Lagging behind in 11th, Everton are running out of runway if they are to finally get what has, at times, been an oh-so-promising campaign off the ground.

Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Mike Jones
Predicted Line-up: Howard, Stones, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Baines, Besic, Barry, Cleverley, Lennon, Barkley, Lukaku

Lyndon Lloyd

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