Resilient Everton Stun Chelsea at Goodison

Relegation threatened Everton dig in deep to hurt Chelsea’s top 4 finish at Goodison through a Caesar Azpiliceuta mistake, finished by Everton’s Richarlison.

It’s one of those Premier League games of the season that throws itself out from the wind at the back end of the season. And for Chelsea, this happens to be the second time in a two seasons where they have an opportunity to cement a top finish only to end up bottling it along the way.

The game was certainly filled with all the emotions you could get from the end, mainly from the Everton side as fans and players alike stood thin behind the team to steal a huge 3 points from the London side. It held all the ingredients of a relegation threatened side; the physicality, courage, resilience and grit to maintain a 1-nil scoreline at the expense of a top 3 chasing Chelsea side.

It also carried a vast amount of time wasting from the Merseyside side, which awkwardly enough was overlooked by Referee Kevin Friend, who witnessed the Toffees falling dramatically upon every challenge and allowed for longer periods to be spent on goal kicks by Everton goalie Jordan Pickford and on throw ins also.

Although, a lot has to be said about a Chelsea side who went into the game obviously not looking like a team that wanted to win or hungry enough for the 3 points. They looked jaded on the ball, indecisive in the forward press and shaky defence.

One villain of this match on the London blues’ end has to be their Captain, Caesar Azpilicueta whose erratic defending gave Richarlison the courage to slip a deserved goal past Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy. It is one of those games Mendy would feel betrayed by his own team mate.

Nothing should be taken off Everton’s goal keeper, Jordan Pickford though. His courage and man of the match winning saves kept Everton in the game for a much longer period of the game to steal eventually a 90 minute victory at the expense of Chelsea.

Once again, the Premier League presents us with the dramatic climax absent from Saturday’s fixture, even though it wasn’t the one most looked forward to or wanted. Good game, a very competitive league.