Chelsea returned from the international break with an authoritative performance at Everton, where Pedro Neto’s double secured victory and lifted Xabi Alonso’s side to fourth. It was Chelsea’s first Premier League clean sheet since January and condemned David Moyes’s Everton to their first defeat of the season. The only concern for Alonso came when Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martínez suffered a head injury and was carried off on a stretcher after seven minutes of treatment.
Everton had edged a first half that contained more needle than quality, and they should have taken the lead from a corner awarded after Martínez was penalised for holding the ball too long. Jack Grealish supplied an inch-perfect cross at the second attempt for Thierno Barry, but the unmarked striker steered a tame header straight at Martínez from close range. It was one of several big misses from Barry that undermined Everton’s efforts.
Everton had earlier denied Chelsea their customary early goal when Jordan Pickford saved from Cole Palmer and Jarrad Branthwaite blocked a goal-bound Jordan Henderson effort. Martínez tipped over a Grealish volley and saved comfortably from Barry, while at the other end Moisés Caicedo met a Henderson corner at the back post with a thunderous volley that beat Pickford but struck the bar. Neto then forced a decent save from distance in first-half stoppage time.
Neto beat Pickford from closer range 44 seconds after the restart. Morgan Rogers released Jorrel Hato, Alonso’s one enforced change from the 5-1 defeat of Bournemouth, down the Chelsea left. Hato’s low cross from the byline took a touch off James Tarkowski and found Neto, whose shot beat Pickford’s weak attempt to save low to his left. As in the draw at Hull last weekend, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Pickford were found wanting defensively.
Everton’s grievance deepened because Rogers was involved in the breakthrough. The Chelsea forward had been fortunate to avoid a second booking when he leapt into a challenge with James Garner shortly before half-time, catching both ball and man. Referee Paul Tierney took no further action, even though the tackle was as reckless as the one that earned Harrison Armstrong an earlier booking in a first half that produced five yellow cards.
There were goalkeeping problems at both ends, with Pickford unconvincing for the second week in succession as Everton suffered self-inflicted wounds. Chelsea’s concern became far more serious when Branthwaite collided with Martínez as they challenged for a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall free-kick. Martínez required lengthy treatment before being carried away with his neck in a brace, to boos from the Everton crowd. He did give a thumbs up to Branthwaite when the concerned Everton defender waited to wish him well.
Mike Penders replaced Martínez for his Premier League debut and was not seriously tested as Everton’s threat petered out. Chelsea managed the closing stages well and sealed the victory in the final minute of normal time. Henderson’s free-kick struck Barry’s head, rebounded off Everton substitute Tyrique George and Vitalii Mykolenko, and dropped to Neto, who rolled a confident finish past Pickford’s despairing dive into the bottom corner. Everton could have no complaints about the merits of Chelsea’s victory given the contrasting second-half performances.