Match Report

It’s been three-and-a-half weeks since the Premier League handed Everton the largest sporting sanction in English top-flight history, docking the club 10 points and plunging it into another battle against relegation. It’s taken the Blues just two weeks to take nine of them back and haul themselves out of the bottom three, as Sean Dyche and his side have shrugged off the setback against Manchester United on 26 November by winning three straight matches.

It’s the first time an Everton side has managed that since March 2021 when Carlo Ancelotti was manager; the Toffees ended up finishing 10th that year, which is where the club would be sitting now after 16 games, four points above Chelsea without that hefty sanction.

Indeed, it was fitting that the free-spending Londoners were today’s opponents at Goodison Park because the respective experience of the two clubs over the majority of the Premier League era and their standing in the game with regard to treatment by the media and the powers-that-be has been very different.

In hoarding players and farming them out on loan to places like sibling club Vitesse Arnhem and spending close to £1bn on incoming transfers – a world record £430m this past summer alone – in just a couple of years by signing them to seven- and eight-year contracts, Chelsea have bent the rules to breaking point. They may yet have their day in front of an independent commission for their own PSR breaches but few could miss the irony – not to mention the mockery of the notion of financial fair play – in Mauricio Pochettino’s response to his team’s defeat at Goodison Park today being a call to spend yet more money in January.

Everton, by contrast, may yet have to sell again in the winter window to cover costs if the regulatory scrutiny of 777 Partners’ proposed takeover of the club drags into the first few weeks of the New Year or their buy-out falters altogether, but under Dyche they have in spades what money can seldom purchase and that is spirit, mentality and belief.

In the space of eight days, Everton have won three games, registered three clean sheets, beaten on their own patch a Forest team that had only lost once at home all season and seen off two of the richest, most vaunted clubs in the Premier League. As Dyche acknowledged proudly after the final whistle this afternoon, the Blues are finding different ways to win — at the City Ground, it was a case of matching Forest and taking the chance when it came; against Newcastle it was about intensity and force of will; today, on short rest after Thursday evening’s heroics and visible fatigue in the ranks, it was about sheer dogged resilience.

It’s been tempting for neutral observers to put Everton’s last three results down to the galvanising effect of the Premier League’s potentially devastating sanction but Dyche’s team were already displaying all the qualities that will more than overcome the unfair loss of 10 points. Indeed, this was their ninth win in their last 13 matches in all competitions, seven of them in the League and that top-four calibre return of 22 points from 33 would otherwise have been enough to propel them into contention for a place in Europe this season.

Everton’s appeal against their penalty might yet see them claw some of those points back but, in the meantime, they will push on, no doubt displaying the kind of character that Dyche has so admirably harnessed in his 11 months in charge at Goodison. The defiance and fight for the badge was there in abundance today even if it didn’t manifest itself in the most effective or free-flowing performance against talented and feisty opponents.

The decision to ask Ashley Young to play two games in less than 72 hours was questionable and the 38-year-old was no match against the speedy Mikhailo Mudryk until he was replaced by Nathan Patterson a few minutes before half-time because of injury. His young deputy was very impressive in his stead, though while on the other side of defence Vitalii Mykolenko was the standout performer which, when you consider that James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite were magnificent in the centre, was no mean feat.

In midfield, the returning James Garner slotted back in seamlessly after his man-of-the-match display at Forest eight days ago and if Idrissa Gueye’s workload and consequent exhaustion over that period exhibited itself in a somewhat disappointing outing alongside him, Amadou Onana came on to mark his own return and up the levels in the second half.

Then there was Dwight McNeil and Abdoulaye Doucouré, the former fairly quiet going forward in the first half but a key factor in the opening goal; the latter outstanding throughout, not least when he fired home with aplomb in the 54th minute to break the deadlock. Lewis Dobbin’s excellent finish in stoppage time for his first senior goal provided the insurance that made the remaining five added minutes comfortable.

The first half had yielded precious few chances for either side. Unlike against Newcastle when Everton created the early chances, it was Chelsea who threatened first but Jordan Pickford made his mark with two parrying saves to first deny Enzo Fernandez, the Argentine putting the rebound wide, and then, more impressively, Cole Palmer as the young striker unloaded a shot from 25 yards searching out the top corner.

The visitors dominated possession but the hosts went close when Jack Harrison’s terrific volley flashed a yard wide of Robert Sanchez’s post after 24 minutes.

Palmer had another dangerous effort deflected behind later in the half but the two sides went into the break goalless, although both managers had been prompted by injury into making early changes.

Reece James had to be replaced by Levi Colwill with an apparent recurrence of his hamstring problem while Young was forced off with an unspecified knock giving Patterson his chance to shine. Branthwaite, who appeared to injure his knee and was close to being substituted himself, ended up finishing the game.

With Gueye already on a harshly-given yellow card, Dyche made one more change at half-time, introducing Onana for the second period and this time it was Everton who produced the early chances.

First, after Pickford had found Calvert-Lewin will a pin-point drop-kick to set up the attack, McNeil tested Sanchez with a fine low shot in the 50th minute that the keeper impressively palmed behind for a corner but four minutes later, the in-form winger played a vital role in the opening goal.

Sent forward into the Chelsea half with a lovely pass out of defence by Mykolenko, McNeil shrugged off the attentions of Conor Gallagher before threading an excellent ball into the box for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The striker was denied well by Sanchez who raced out to block but the rebound fell invitingly to Doucouré who drilled it back across goal and into the far corner of the goal.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the balance of play for the remainder of the regulation 90 minutes was with Pochettino’s men as they searched vainly for an equaliser.

Branthwaite’s clumsy foul on Armando Broja gave Palmer an opportunity from a direct free-kick but he went low rather than aiming for the top corner and Pickford made a comfortable save.

Mudryk, getting much less change from Patterson than he had from Young, sped in behind the full-back for the only time off Colwill’s ball down the channel but Fernandez was denied in front of goal by a superb covering block from Mykolenko, Marc Cucurella’s daisy-cutter was easily gathered, substitute Raheem Sterling was foiled by another crucial challenge from the Ukrainian full-back, while Tarkowski deflected a Mudryk shot over as the Londoners continued to be frustrated.

Beto had come on for the tired Calvert-Lewin but couldn’t unduly test Sanchez with a header from Harrison’s cross but the Chelsea keeper soon had to come off himself because of a knock, which would be a factor in Everton’s decisive second goal two minutes into stoppage time.

McNeil allowed the ball to run behind for a corner on the Blues’ left and when substitute goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic could only get a weak punch on James delivery, it fell to another sub, Dobbin, who rifled home a first-time shot from just inside the box to wrap up the points.

“If you get a group of players who give everything to win, it’s a powerful thing,” Dyche said in the aftermath of another fine win. He and his players will be challenged in the weeks ahead by injuries and suspensions – Branthwaite and Gueye will serve one-game bans against Burnley next weekend; Young will be a doubt along with Seamus Coleman — but that baseline of determination and togetherness, on the pitch and in the stands, will continue to be a vital ingredient in a season that looks destined to finish far more positively than it might have done. 

Or, to put it in fewer but all-encompassing words: We Shall Not Be Moved.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton are back at Goodison Park for another huge game, this time against big-spending Chelsea.

Seamus Coleman is out injured but James Garner returns after sickness kept him out of the Newcastle game, while Amadou Onana is fit again but only named on the bench.

Mudryk was quickly on Young's case, his cross leading to a decent shot from Enzo that forced a save from Pickford, whose save came straight back to the Chelsea player but his second attempt flew wide.  

With Chelsea doing their best to pass it around, Everton forced the turnover and Garner surged forward, picking out Harrison but Calvert-Lewin was not up with the cross that was delivered into the perfect position, behind the defence but in front of the Chelsea keeper. 

Chelse responded, forcing a corner that was headed well over. Cucu barged over Calvert-Lewin and McNeil put a decent free-kick into the far post. 

A good contest was developing between Branthwaite and Broja. From a Chelsea corner, Plamer fired in a decent strike toward the top corner of Pickford's goal that he was across well to parry. 

Gana Gueye, with a poor-looking scissor action fouled Enzo from behind and was immediately shown an early yellow card, his 5th of the season. But a good Everton press forced the turnover again and Everton were doing well to get forward quickly but with little real threat. 

A quick ball from McNeil failed to find Calvert-Lewin, and Chlesea resorted to more keep-ball until they released Broja and when the ball came back toward Palmer, Mykolenko's tackle looked to be a foul but he drew back his leg as Palmer fell and the referee blew the whistle for simulation despite Palmer immediately regaining his feet but too late to avoid a somewhat harsh yellow card. 

Chelsea continued to attack, with a low cross in that needed clearing behind by Branthwaite in in front of Pickford. A Pickford hoof bounced nicely for Calvert-Lewin but he turned out to have been offside as the game went quickly from end to end. A tremendous first-time volley from Harrison flew a couple of yards wide.

After Reece James went off with a hamstring issue, Chelsea won another corner but Everton again forced the turnover to keep them at bay. Branthwaite injured his left thigh challenging Palmer for the ball, and needed treatment.  

This time Chelsea forced a turnover off Harrison and surged forward, the fast cross from Mudryk flashing across Pickford's goal.  Mudryk was murdering Young down Everton's right flank and he whipped over another cross that Broja could only scoop behind.

McNeil looked to go through on goal from a long pass out from defence. but he stumbled on the ball as the flag went up for offside. Chelsea responded, Palmer firing over from outside the Everton area.  Young was replaced by Patterson, who caught Broja with his first involvement as Everton came under more sustained pressure. 

Everton tried to make something of a deep free-kick from Pickford but it flew wide past everyone, and Chelsea were soon on the attack again, Everton having to defend in numbers. 

But with 4 minutes added time, Calvert-Lewiin won Everton's first corner of the game that was initially cleared but Everton kept working it around for McNeil to force a second corner but Cucurella went down, play-acting after tussling with Tarkowski. Nothing came of the corner as Micahel Oliver brought the half to a close.

McNeil stole the ball and put in another beautiful cross that any self-respecting centre-forward would have devoured... but not our lumbering Calvert-Lewin, out of place yet again. It was end to end, Enzo having a pop. 

At the other end, McNeil looked to have made excellent space for a brilliant low shot into the corner but Sanchez got across suberbly to push it around the post. From the corner, it came out to Mykolenko who tried to take out one of the GOODISON letters on the back of the Park Stand. 

Some great work from NcNeil forced a wonderful ball this time perfectly into Calvert-Lewin's path but he could not lift the ball past Sanchez. However, he did play the ball onto Snachez with enough pace where it rebounded nicely for Doucoure to rifle the ball into the net. The VAR wanted to check offside but no chance. 

Branthwaite made a very laboured lunge at Broja in the dee and that saw him get his 5th yellow card of the season. Palmer shot hard and low through the wall and straight to Pickford. Palmer went after Mykolenko, then McNeil, finally getting called for the foul. 

Everton got some great possession around the Chelsea area until Patterson's cross found a Chelsea player. But Everton seemed to know how crucial it was to maintain control on the back of that vital goal, and showed no signs of sitting back to soak more Chelsea pressure, but it continued to be end to end. 

Chelsea came forward through Mudryk but Mykolenko anticipated the shot from Enzo and blocked it superbly. Palmer spun off everyone to fire a curler wide of the angle. After the subs, Chelsea surged forward again Jackson firing wide across goal.

Still Chelsea moved the ball well but Sterling did not like Mykolenko blocking him confidently and saving a corner as the game entered the critical final 20 minutes. Mykolenko did very well to stall Disasi as he danced in on goal. 

At the other end, Doucoure tried to play in Beto with an angled cross that ran away from him. Chelsea attacked again but Everton forced the turnover again and Everton went forward to apply some good pressure until Harison's cross was softly headed into Shanchez's arms by Beto.

At the other end, some tremendous Chelsea pressure was managed with shots from Cucurella and Palmer saved or blocked again by Mykolenko. Chelsea came very close through Palmer and Jackson but somehow neither could fashion a shot as the Blue shirts closed them down and cleared the ball. 

But Everton were struggling to sustain any counter as Chelsea kept coming back again and again, this time Mudyrk aking space and firing low only for Tarkowski to block it away from a corner. It fell in the 6-yard area and was miraculously cleared but the pressure was sustained, Chelsea winning yet another corner. 

A superb corner was driven in but Onana headed it clear as Chelsea committed a foul. But Pickford's hoof only came straight back to him, but Beto fought for the knock-down but sent it straight to Sanchez who he thought was further out. 

Mudryk surged in again, but the ball would not fall for a Chelsea player, and Everton got a free-kick to relieve some pressure, with Dobbin replacing Harrisson. 

More relentless pressure from Chelsea, a tremendous challenge for Onana on Palmer as he readied to shoot. Another cross in was headed behind by Patterson for another Chelsea corner, Gallagher's attempted shot well blocked. McNeil tried to break but he couldn't keep the ball. 

But Everton still had to pay another 7 added minutes, Pickford's free-kick getting a corner off Disasi. Garner's ball in was punched out by the sub keeper, falling nicely to Lewis Dobbin who fairly gave it a wonderful strike, a beautiful finish to send Goodison into raptures. 

Chelsea kept on trying as the Everton crowd were now loving every minute of the 7 added on. But the Everton players on the field kept their heads superbly while all around were going crazy. 

Everton: Pickford, Young (41' Patterson), Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana [Y:16'], Garner, Harrison (86' Dobbin), Doucoure, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin (67' Beto).

Subs: Virginia, Onana, Danjuma, Godfrey, Chermiti, Hunt.

Chelsea: Sanchez (84' Petrovich); James (26' Colwill), Disasi, Badiashile, Cucurella (84Mattson); Gallagher, Enzo, Caicedo; Palmer [Y:22'], Mudryk [Y:73'], Broja (66' Sterling).

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Just three days after their stirring victory over much-vaunted Newcastle, Everton are back at Goodison Park for another huge game, this time against big-spending Chelsea.

Were it not for the Premier League’s overly-punitive 10-point deduction, the Toffees would come have come into the weekend sitting a point and a place above the West Londoners in 10th; as it is, they hauled themselves out of the relegation zone with that 3-0 win over the Magpies and are not looking to get themselves further up the table in the coming weeks.

Sean Dyche had to put out a patched-up midfield on Thursday night with Amadou Onana ruled out with a calf injury and James Garner succumbing to illness earlier in the day but the manager is hopeful that both players could at least be in the squad this time.

Onana was rated as touch-and-go for the Newcastle clash but the medical staff erred on the side of caution but Dyche has indicated that there is a chance the Belgian could at least make the squad to face Chelsea.

Garner, meanwhile, will be assessed to see whether or not his stomach flu was “a 24-hour thing” and whether he can keep food down to regain his strength ahead of the match.

Meanwhile, Seamus Coleman will be checked to see whether he can play twice in such a short space of time so soon after returning from a long absence. The skipper came off after 67 minutes on Thursday with what initially appeared to be a knock but he was able to run off the pitch and Dyche assured reporters afterwards that there was no significant problem.

Chelsea could have as many as 10 players ruled out for varying reasons but they have a large squad that can easily absorb a loss of personnel on that scale. Conor Gallagher serves a one-match suspension for picking up two yellow cards against Brighton last weekend and Christopher Nkunku is unlikely to feature but Rameo Lavia and Malo Gusto will be given late fitness tests. Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Trevor Chalobah, Lesley Ugochukwu and Carney Chukuwuemeka, and Chukwunonso Madueke are all out until the New Year.

After making a disappointing start by their standards with just one Premier League win to their name until they won at Fulham at the start of October and struggled for consistency since, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been showing of late signs that the Argentine is starting to get his arms around the job he took over the summer.

They thrashed Tottenham 4-1 in North London last month, albeit with the help of two red cards for Spurs, held Manchester City to a 4-4 draw at home and overcame Brighton at Stamford Bridge despite playing the second half with 10 men but Everton will take heart from their last two away games where they lost 4-1 at St James’s Park and 2-1 at Old Trafford in midweek.

Manchester United’s ability to force mistakes from Chelsea’s defence with a dogged press bodes well, as, of course, does the Blues’ recent attacking form which has seen them register an average of 19 shots in their last three matches.

Everton have found this to be a profitable fixture in recent years, winning it four seasons in a row before losing narrowly on the opening day last season under Frank Lampard, and the Goodison faithful will be hoping their team can carry forward the momentum from successive wins over Forest and Newcastle and resume the trend of victories over Chelsea.

Kick-off: 2pm, Sunday 10 December, 2023
Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Last Time: Everton 0 - 1 Chelsea

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

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