Everton 1-0 Chelsea: Richarlison and Pickford give Toffees fighting chance in survival bid

Burnley’s
dramatic
win
over
Watford
on
Saturday
left
Everton
five
points
from
safety
with
two
games
in
hand,
and
despite
being
underdogs
for
the
visit
of
Chelsea,
Frank
Lampard’s
side
rose
to
the
challenge.

There
were
four
more
yellow
cards
than
there
were
shots
on
target
during
a
bruising
first
half,
but
the
entertainment
ramped
up
after
the
interval
thanks
to
Richarlison’s
composed
opener.

Vitalii
Mykolenko
wasted
the
chance
to
make
it
2-0
before
Pickford
produced
two
stunning
saves
to
keep
Everton
in
charge
as
they
ultimately
held
on
to
a
potentially
vital
win.

A
feisty
opening
period
produced
little
goal-mouth
excitement,
with
the
most
gripping
incident
arguably
being
the
prolonged
confrontation
between
the
two
sets
of
players
after
Mason
Mount
fouled
Yerry
Mina,
with
Seamus
Coleman
and
Cesar
Azpilicueta
booked
for
going
head-to-head.

The
lively
Anthony
Gordon
had
gone
close
a
few
moments
earlier,
though,
shooting
just
wide
of
the
bottom-right
corner
after
cutting
in
off
the
right
flank.

That
was
at
least
evidence
of
some
Everton
intent,
and
that
–
coupled
with
their
desire
to
scrap
–
earned
them
the
lead
just
after
half-time,
as
Richarlison
robbed
Azpilicueta
and
coolly
swept
past
Edouard
Mendy
after
Demarai
Gray
set
him
free.

Mykolenko
inexplicably
shot
wide
from
close
range
a
few
moments
later,
before
Pickford
took
centre-stage.

First,
he
incredibly
denied
Azpilicueta’s
rebound
effort
right
on
the
line
after
Mount’s
shot
hit
both
posts,
then
blocked
a
point-blank
Antonio
Rudiger
strike
with
his
face.

Finally,
he
got
down
well
right
near
the
end
to
keep
Mateo
Kovacic’s
goal-bound
attempt
out.

+44
–
Coming
into
today’s
match
against
Everton,
Chelsea
had
only
trailed
for
29
minutes
away
from
home
in
the
Premier
League
this
season,
with
Richarlison’s
goal
after
46
minutes
today
more
than
doubling
their
season
total
(73
minutes
trailing
on
the
road).
Self-inflicted.

pic.twitter.com/URTalSuhU5

—
OptaJoe
(@OptaJoe)

May
1,
2022

What
does
it
mean?
Lampard
gives
Chelsea
the
Blues
as
Toffees
bring
the
fireworks

Everton
were
not
exceptional
in
terms
of
dominating
or
creating
chances,
but
the
spirit
they
displayed
on
Sunday
was
spectacular
at
times.

Chelsea
were
always
going
to
be
in
for
a
tricky
game,
as
demonstrated
by
Everton
fans’ firework
antics
outside
their
hotel
on
Saturday
night,
but
perhaps
they
were
not
expecting
the
sheer
willingness
to
fight
for
virtually
everything.

It
was
a
gripping
and
gruelling
encounter
that
could
well
have
saved
Everton’s
season
as
Lampard
became
only
the
second
former
Chelsea
manager
to
beat
the
Blues
in
his
first
Premier
League
match
against
them
–
Leeds
United
are
now
just
two
points
ahead
of
them
having
played
an
extra
game.

Pickford
pick
of
the
bunch

There
were
several
outstanding
performers
for
Everton,
with
Richarlison,
Gordon
and
Gray
all
impressive
in
their
own
right,
but
it’s
impossible
to
look
beyond
Pickford
as
the
key
figure.

The
England
goalkeeper
made
three
utterly
priceless
saves
in
the
second
half,
including
one
in
stoppage
time.
Had
a
poorer
stopper
been
in
net,
Everton
surely
would
have
lost
this.

Azpilicueta
infuriates

Culpable
for
Everton’s
goal,
Azpilicueta
had
a
bad
day
all
round.
He
failed
to
beat
Pickford
when
Mount’s
effort
came
back
to
him
and
more
than
once
he
got
involved
in
needless
confrontations
that
only
seemed
to
energise
the
hosts
and
their
fans.

What’s
next?

Everton’s
desperate
fight
resumes
away
to
Leicester
City
in
a
week’s
time,
while
Chelsea
host
Wolves
the
day
before.