A tradition as predictable as the date for Christmas : Chelsea coasting past Everton at the Bridge
- By Yann Tear at Stamford Bridge
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Premier League
Chelsea (2) 2 Palmer 21, Gusto 45
Everton (0) 0
They didn't even have to play particularly well to get the job done - but victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge is always pretty much a given, give or take the odd draw.
It is something of a minor miracle that this fixture draws any away fans. The Toffees had failed to win any of their previous 29 league visits to the Bridge and you have to go back to the very earliest days of the Premier League - to November 1994 - for their last success here, courtesy of a Paul Rideout goal.
The only time it ended well in the past 35 league and cup visits for the Merseysiders came in a 1-1 FA Cup draw in 2011 which eventually yielded a victory on penalties for them. It has been a pretty lopsided affair in west London down the years, to say the least.
Everton's hopes of bucking the trend were not helped by an early injury to the in-form Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has been scoring some classic goals off late. He received warm applause from Chelsea fans who used to cheer him on here as he left the field after quarter of an hour.
Chelsea had offered absolutely nothing but were still ahead soon after. A simple pass from Malo Gusto opened but the Everton backline and Cole Palmer calmly put it away - his first goal since returning from that long injury lay-off.
Palmer does love Everton. He netted four times in a 6-0 win against them two seasons ago.
Alejandro Garnacho rifled just over as the Bridge woke from its collective slumber but then missed a sitter after a misplaced pass from Dewsbury-Hall's replacement, Carlos Alcaraz, presented the Argentinian with an open goal that he preceded to miss after rounding Jordan Pickford to leave the goal gaping. Enzo Fernandez also might have troubled the keeper more with a header set up by Pedro Neto's cross.
Idrisssa Gueye's low cross was almost turned in at the far post by the fast-approaching Thierno Barry as the visitors sought a way back. Jack Grealish also worried the Blues with a dart in from the left flank that ended with a block from Robert Sanchez.
But the game was soon effectively up for the Toffees. Neto burst down the right after receiving a pass from Gusto, outpacing Vitalii Mykolenko and his ball into the middle was turned in by Gusto, getting to the return pass ahead of James Tarkowski.
After that, it was all about whether a routine win would be embellished and Garnacho spurned yet another gilt-edge chance after hoisting the ball miles over when clean through after a burst in from the left, while Reece James hit a free-kick with superb pace and accuracy that was tipped over expertly by Pickford.
To be fair, Grealish did force Sanchez to tip over a header and flashed a far post shot wide as Everton tried to raise themselves, and Iliman Ndiaye struck the inside of a post late on, but perhaps the visitors were sub-consciously aware of the futility of endeavours on this patch of grass.
The win restores Chelsea's upward mobility after an off-colour run of games at Leeds, Bournemouth and Atalanta - two of them defeats. Next up is a Carabao Cup quarter-final at Cardiff and a lunchtime visit to Newcastle next Saturday as they look to pick up the pace again.
Blues:(4-2-3-1) Sanchez - Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella - James, Fernandez - Pedro Neto, Palmer (Santos 58), Garnacho (Gittens 65) - Joao Pedro (Estevao 80)
Toffees: (4-2-3-1) Pickford - O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko - Garner (Iroegbunam 84), Gueye - Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall (Alcaraz 16), Grealish (Dibling 84) - Barry (Beto 68)
