MATCH REPORT : CHELSEA 4-0 EVERTON

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti perfectly summed this contest up best when he said this game was decided from the first minute. Frank Lampard’s men were simply too hungry and strong against a disinterested Everton side. It was a demolition from first whistle to the last and that is what Ancelotti will take away from this defeat.

Since Ancelotti came into the job in December only Liverpool and Manchester City have taken more points than Everton, but this display was quite comfortably the Blues worst of the season.

Ancelotti isn’t a miracle worker and these players are the same charges that let down Marco Silva in the first half of the season. However, this performance felt like a watershed for some players and will possibly have hastened the decisions on some of their futures after being outfought and thought by a Chelsea team not at full strength.

Chelsea were on top from the first whistle and Everton needed a smart save from Jordan Pickford to keep them in the game after Mason Mount had connected with Willian’s cross after 4 minutes. However, parity did not last long.

Mason Mount started the romp with a well struck drive. Chelsea buzzed around Djibril Sidibe as a deliberate tactic to target Everton’s right-back and it came as no surprise when they went ahead in the 14th minute with a break down his side. Pedro skipped past the French International with ease and passed the ball to Mount who spun brilliantly and hit a low drive inside Pickford’s post. As poor as Sidibe’s attempt to halt Pedro was, in equal measure was Tom Davies ability to completely lose Mount after tracking the midfielder’s run into the box.

Chelsea just took over and were far too slick in every area compared to their opponents. This was a Chelsea side missing N’Golo Kanté, Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho in midfield but it made no difference as Davies and André Gomes could not get near Ross Barkley, Billy Gilmour and Mount.

It got worse for Everton 7 minutes later when Chelsea doubled their lead.

Gilmour started the move with a pass into Olivier Giroud who laid a ball off to Barkley, who pierced Everton’s offside trap with a fine first time ball through to Pedro who raced through on goal and made no mistake. His first home league goal since February 2019. However, the ease in which he ran away from Michael Keane and Sidibe was worrying to say the least.

Chelsea dominated for the remainder of the half but almost allowed Everton a way back into the game just before half time. A mistake from former Everton loanee Kurt Zouma allowed Richarlison to play in Dominic Calvert‑Lewin, who should have reduced the deficit but the young striker wasted the opportunity.

The second half began with Everton making a change, Bernard who had been a passenger like the majority of the side in the first half was replaced by Theo Walcott. It made zero difference.

Willian, who could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge this summer extended the host’s lead when he fired a low drive beyond Pickford from 20 yards at the start of the second half. It was a lovely strike but one which could have been avoided had Mason Holgate closed down the space in front of him.

As Everton so often do they conceded another in quick succession 3 minutes later. A corner sent in by Willian saw Giroud finish from close range. Again, Everton’s defending was shocking with both Holgate and Gylfi Sigurdsson will be disappointed with their efforts to deny the frenchman a goal.

Everton simply had no response to Chelsea’s play and Ross Barkley in particular ran them ragged. One shot on target was enough for Ancelotti and he introduced Moise Kean for Tom Davies and teenager Anthony Gordon for Calvert-Lewin late on but again it mattered not the damage was done.

Final Score : Chelsea 4-0 Everton 

How they lined up : 

Barry Cass