Pedro Neto scored twice as Chelsea defeated Everton 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, handing the hosts their first defeat of the season and lifting the Blues into the Premier League’s top four.
Neto opened the scoring shortly after half-time and sealed the victory during 11 minutes of stoppage time, following a lengthy interruption for treatment to Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who suffered a head injury.
The Argentine international was involved in a heavy head collision with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and was subsequently taken to hospital for precautionary tests.
“As far as I know, he left the stadium conscious. Right now he’s in the hospital doing the precautionary tests, so let’s see,” Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said after the match.
The victory marked Chelsea’s first away win of the season and lifted them above Everton into fourth place. It also ended their wait for a Premier League clean sheet, having gone 23 league matches without one.
“We needed one of these wins away. We have played very professional, very serious, looking solid. It is a very good win,” Alonso said.
“We need to get many more clean sheets for the rest of the league games, but for sure the first one of the season feels good, and now we need to keep going this way.”
After a sluggish opening, the fiercely contested encounter burst into life when Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong launched into a challenge on Josh Acheampong, earning the first of five yellow cards shown in the first half.
The tackle also fired up the home crowd and sparked Everton’s best spell of the opening period.
However, the hosts struggled to make their pressure count, with Thierno Barry wasting a promising opportunity by directing his header from Jack Grealish’s cross too close to Martinez.
Chelsea, who have developed a reputation for fast starts under Alonso, took time to threaten. Their best opportunity before the break came four minutes from half-time when Moises Caicedo struck the crossbar following a well-worked corner.
Everton were also left frustrated when Morgan Rogers escaped a second yellow card shortly before the interval following a forceful challenge involving England teammate James Garner.
The decision proved costly as Chelsea came out strongly after the break and took the lead in the opening minute of the second half.
Jorrel Hato reached the byline and delivered a low cross that found Neto, who controlled the ball before firing past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Chelsea had not kept a Premier League clean sheet since January but faced relatively little pressure from an Everton side lacking attacking options.
Everton manager David Moyes acknowledged the difference in quality between the teams, saying Chelsea possessed greater creativity in key moments.
“I just felt that Chelsea had that little bit more flair and ability which we didn’t possess at the right moments today,” Moyes said.
The match was briefly halted following the collision involving Martinez, with Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders replacing him to make his first Premier League appearance.
Penders had little to do as Chelsea controlled much of the second half, dealing comfortably with a series of desperate crosses from Everton. At the other end, Pickford produced an excellent save to deny Joao Pedro.
Neto eventually put the result beyond doubt during the 11 minutes of added time, calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner after Jordan Henderson’s free-kick was blocked by the Chelsea wall.
The brace secured all three points for Chelsea, while Everton were left to reflect on their first league defeat of the campaign.
AFP
