Pedro Neto’s brace and a complete defensive performance led Chelsea to a 2-0 win at Everton as Week 7 of the Premier Leagu kicked off with an early tilt at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
The Blues moved into the top four after the win, while Everton remain just outside that space. Emiliano Martinez was stretchered off the pitch with a scary injury midway through the second half.
We’ll have live updates, video highlights, and manager reaction as it happens from Liverpool.
- The 7:30am ET start between Everton and Chelsea saw five yellow cards and nine shot attempts through halftime, with the host Toffees in blue and Chelsea wearing all white with red pinstripes on the top.
- The match included 11 minutes of added time after a scary collision between Chelsea keeper Emiliano Martinez and Everton back Jarrad Branthwaite which sent the former off the field on a stretcher. More on that here.
- The Blues broke through after halftime through Pedro Neto, though Jordan Pickford will believe he could’ve done much better. Joao Pedro and Jorell Hato started the play down the left flank.
- Neto then made it 2-0 when he was first to act on a blocked 90th-minute free kick.
- Chelsea had more than two-thirds possession to start the contest but their xG advantage was just 0.52-0.38 after 45 minutes.
- Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso praised the performance as “mature” and “serious,” and said Martinez is undergoing precautionary tests at a nearby hospital. More on that here.
Chelsea will continue with tests as Spurs visit for an always-feisty London derby in Week 8 come Saturday.
Then it’s a League Cup trip to Liverpool and a Premier League clash with Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
Everton go to Arsenal in Week 8, then face Newcastle at home in the League Cup and away in the league.
James Tarkowski said the referees told him Martinez was “out cold” after his injury, while Chelsea’s Pedro Neto dedicated the win to his keeper.
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has also been speaking about the game, and opened with an update on Martinez.
“As far as I know he left the stadium conscious. Right now he is in the hospital doing precautionary tests, so let’s see.”
Thoughts on the game: “Really hard three points playing at a difficult stadium. This win is for Emi after his injury.”
How hard was it to see Emi Martinez suffering? “We saw the state of him on the floor but I don’t want to speak about it too much. Really happy we got through it and that we got the clean sheet.”
Scrappy game: “A lot of duels in the match in the first half, not a lot of opportunities. But it opened up in the second half. We scored and I’m very happy with that.”
Your second goal: “The ball hit Mykolenko on the box and he tried to clear it and I was waited for where it was coming.”
“With everything, most of all with the performance — the fight, the duels. They are a really tough to play. We got the clean sheet and that’s really important.”
“During the international break, the coach had a little bit more time to focus on different thing, new ideas. Since we came back he’s been very vocal about that.”
Chelsea get a free kick ahead of a minimum 11 minutes’ stoppage time.
The effort is blocked by the wall but Neto adjusts quickly to snap the loose ball toward goal.
It skims off an outstretched Mykolenko and beats Pickford.
This was a very scary incident as Martinez appeared to make an involuntary fencing response to the collision with Branthwaite.
The game was paused for around 10 minutes after trainers rushed onto the field to care for the Argentine goalkeeper.
Belgian keeper Mike Penders, 21, took the place of Martinez. We’ll share more updates as we get them.
Moises Caicedo concedes a dangerous free kick after scything down Harrison Armstrong, and Cole Palmer sees yellow for his protestations.
The free kick is parried by Emiliano Martinez, who collides with Jarrad Branthwaite and both are worse for wear. Mike Penders is warming up for Chelsea as Martinez is going to be on a stretcher.
Everton’s Tyrique George first joined the club on loan from Chelsea, and now he’ll try to help his new team rescue a point or more against the Blues.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles makes way and Everton should be a bit more dangerous but also perhaps more open at the back.
Everton trail 1-0 in the 55th minute.
Pedro Neto has put the Blues ahead with some help from Everton star Pickford.
The Blues attack down the left and Joao Pedro’s cross through traffic makes it to Neto at the back post.
The Portuguese doesn’t get everything on the ball and Pickford has a chance to deny the goal but his dive to his left only sees his arm slow the ball’s route to the back of the net.
Everton have put all four of their shots on target, doing something with their 38% possession share.
Chelsea have put three of five shots on target and surely want to find more danger. Their closest effort was Moises Caicedo smashing the post off a well-designed free kick.
xG favors Chelsea, but it’s just 0.52-0.38 after 45 minutes.
A corner kick is designed for the back post, and Moises Caicedo hammers the ball from 15-16 yards away from it.
The ball pops high into the air and Everton deal with it, but set-piece coach Austin MacPhee drew up another winner there.
Jack Grealish and Vitaliy Mykolenko look lively on the left side of Everton’s attack.
Grealish earlier saw his bounding shot tipped over the bar by Martinez, and Mykolenko turns the corner to find Thierno Barry in the 38th minute.
Barry is under duress as he turns and shoots, only managing a tepid ball collected by Martinez, but Everton have a foothold in the game.
James Tarkowski doesn’t appreciae Moises Caicedo restricting him as Everton line up to attack a free kick.
Tarkowski uses his first opportunity to drop Caicedo with a hard shoulder and is going in the book 10 times out of 10 for that.
Morgan Rogers gets involved and grabs a shirt, with Tierney happy to put a caution his way.
0-0, 34'.
Tierney has awarded a corner to Everton after Emiliano Martinez held onto the ball for too long following the hosts’ Everton’s first shot on target.
And he has cautioned Pedro Neto* for complaining about the decision. Martinez eventually collects the ball on the corner kick.
*It originally appeared that Martinez had been cautioned for his disappointment with the card.
Everton’s Harrison Armstrong is into Paul Tierney’s book with a slide tackle.
He flew toward the ball with his boot off the ground and cleans out Josh Acheampong, though he did appear to get the ball before the player.
Chelsea’s players appeal for a red but it was nowhere near that.
0-0, 25'
It took 15 minutes, but Chelsea have put the ball into the gloves of Jordan Pickford.
Cole Palmer tries his luck from outside the 18 with a driven attempt that is too close to Pickford, who has to stoop in order to keep the ball.
Everton go the other way and win a corner to break up the pressure, with Chelsea’s possession sitting over 70% through 15 minutes. It comes to nothing.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with a kickoff closer to American football.
Everton launch the ball toward the penalty spot and race to beat Emiliano Martinez to the position.
The Chelsea keeper leaps and keeps it. We’re underway at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Jack Grealish will join Merlin Rohl, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Thierno Barry in attacking the Chelsea back three.
Everton XI
Pickford
Maitland-Niles
Tarkowski
Branthwaite
Mykolenko
Garner
Armstrong
Dewsbury-Hall
Rohl
Grealish
Barry
Subs: Travers, O’Brien, George, Dibling, Norgaard, Johnson, Alcaraz, Hackney, Graham
Reece James is out for months, and Jordan Henderson will partner with Moises Caicedo in Chelsea’s midfield.
Chelsea XI
Martinez
Acheampong
Lacroix
Colwill
Neto
Caicedo
Henderson
Hato
Palmer
Rogers
Pedro
Bench: Penders, Fofana, Palestra, Barco, Lavia, Nicolll-Jazuli, Estevao, Quenda, Welbeck
Thierno Barry leads the way for Everton, scoring three times early this season. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is next with two.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has a goal and an assist in his return to the Premier League.
Chelsea’s scoring leaders are high-flying, with Joao Pedro on five goals and Morgan Rogers just behind with four.
Pedro and Cole Palmer both have a trio of assists as well.
Chelsea have won 78 of their meetings with Everton dating back to October 26, 1907.
Everton have 61 wins and the sides have drawn 57 times.
It’s been a pretty even series over the last decade or so.
Dating back to a pair of draws in the 2017-18 Premier League season, Everton and Chelsea both boast 6W-5D-6L records.
How about a tiebreaker, boys?
Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in Week 16 last season as Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto scored first-half goals.
Everton flipped the script at home with a 3-0 win in Liverpool, with Beto the star of the show on the strength of two goals and an influential header on Iliman Ndiaye’s marker.
Kick off time: 7:30am ET Saturday
Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium — Vauxhall, Liverpool
TV Channel: USA
Stream link: Watch on USA
