Everton 2-0 Chelsea

Everton produced another outstanding result, built on determined hard graft and an absolute never say die attitude in the face of adversity. A second half strike from Abdoulaye Doucoure was followed up in added on time by a tremendous blast from substitute Lewis Dobbin.

Hot on the heels of having trashed Newcastle United, Sunday afternoon pitched Everton up against Chelsea for a game that the form guide would suggest as a home win.

Our Blues have eight victories in our last twelve outings while the Londoners have just two wins in their last seven Premier League games. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed by Evertonians that if it wasn’t for the wholly inappropriate and unjust sporting sanction of the ten-point deduction, Everton would currently sit one place above the visitors in the standings prior to kick off.

Sean Dyche was hoping both Jordan Pickford and skipper Seamus Coleman would be available for selection following knocks received against the Magpies on Thursday, and with James Garner recovering from an illness and Amadou Onana ready to return after injury, the boss looked to have a full squad to select from.

With momentum and crowd fervour growing with every game, our gravel voiced supreme named his starting eleven: Jordan Pickford, Ashley Young, James Tarkowski (c), Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitalii Mykolenko, Jack Harrison, James Garner, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Chelsea might be stuttering but, their manager Mauricio Pochettino has an enviable record, not having lost against Everton since a 2-1 loss when manager of Southampton almost ten years ago to the day.

With no major injury of fitness worries, and able to upon Conor Gallagher following a suspension, Pochettino was able to name his starting line-up: Sanchez, James (c), Disasi, Badiashile, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer, Gallagher, Mudryk and Broja.

The rain having abated into a cool and sunny-at-kick-off-time afternoon, Michael Oliver was our referee.

And with the Gwladys Street having been bedecked in banners against the Premier League and the perceived corruption, the boos that greeted the playing of their anthem left no doubt as to the continued strength of feeling amongst Evertonians.

Everton attacked the Gwladys Street End in the first half in front of another sell out Goodison crowd. Lightning pace from Mudryk took him past Young and his ball back to Fernandez saw Pickford make a good save low to his right with Broja ruled offside anyway. Mudryk again showed Young a clean pair heels only for his cross to be cleared comfortably by Mykolenko.

Gana Gueye to Garner and onto Harrison with his early cross just too far ahead of DCL was the Blues first meaningful raid and then Sanchez easily held a cross from Doucoure. Jarrad Branthwaite took no chances with a cross from the left to concede the first corner for Chelsea that saw Badiashile head well over the bar.

Cucurella on DCL earned a free kick wide right that McNeil swung towards the back post where Sanchez flapped at it and Chelsea got it to safety. Having been turned by Broja, Branthwaite stretched his legs and got back to deny the Chelsea striker albeit at the expense of another corner that saw Pickford make an acrobatic save from Palmer.

On 15 minutes, referee Oliver showed Gana Gueye a yellow card for what he considered a tackle from behind. Sanchez was quick off his line to get to ball aimed for DCL by McNeil. Oliver evened up the yellow cards with one for Palmer for simulation in trying to win a penalty after going down in a tackle with Mykolenko. A quick Chelsea break, again down the Everton right saw Branthwaite put the low cross from Mudryk out for a corner that was wasted.

A nice chipped ball from Doucoure gave McNeul the chance to cross, the partial headed clearance falling to Harrison who saw his first time volley fly just wide of the far post. On 26 minutes, Chelsea replaced Reece James with Lee Colwill with Colwill taking up his normal left back role and Cucurella switching to the right to replace James.

Branthwaite went down after a tackle on Palmer with Chelsea choosing to carry on playing until manager Pochettino waved them to out the ball out of play. Branthwaite returned after some treatment and the crowd reacted as Colwill appeared to upend Harrison and the resulting break again saw Mudryk get away from Young to cross for Broja who couldn’t steer his effort on target.

A change for Everton as we passed the forty minute mark saw Nathan Patterson replace Ashley Young who was clearly struggling after Broja had fed Gallagher for a curling effort that had gone well high and wide. Broja stayed down after the first tackle by Patterson but, got up quickly when he saw the referee wasn’t booking the young Scot.

Four added minutes were announced after Mykolenko had headed another cross clear and the Blues won their first corner deep into added on time. The corner failed to produce but, McNeil won another off the back of Mudryk that Chelsea defended hurriedly, and the teams returned to the dressing rooms with the scoreboard idle.

Chelsea had had much the better of the possession and territory whilst Everton had battled hard and defended well with Branthwaite and Mykolenko resolute in their work.

Half Time: 0-0

Amadou Onana replaced Gana Gueye for the start of the second half and some nice one touch passing led to McNeil crossing low through the Chelsea area with Harrison unable to get to it at the back post. Mykolenko cleared from Colwill after he’d taken a ball from Mudryk and forced his was into the area, and in a busy start to the half, Sanchez went low to his right to turn a shot from .mcNeil round the list for a corner that saw Mykolenko blaze an effort wide.

A delay while Sanchez received some treatment and the boorish and witless Chelsea fans sang ‘Sign on’ – truly pathetic from them as usual.

On 54 minutes, Everton struck with deadly effect, a ball from Mykolenko releasing McNeil who rode a tackle and fed a great ball through the middle for DCL who saw his effort blocked by Sanchez with Abdoulaye Doucoure following up to net the rebound.

Broja went down just outside the area and the low shot through the wall by Palmer was easily saved by Pickford. Mykolenko and McNeil defended well from Palmer to win a free kick and a chance to clear downfield before another soft challenge saw the referee penalise DCL. Garner with two good challenges on Mudryk and Colwill halted another Chelsea attack before a good ball found Mudryk again in space and his ball to Fernandez saw a shot blocked and cleared by Mykolenko.

Changes on 66 minutes as Sterling and Jackson replaced Fernandez and Broja with Everton sending Beto on for DCL.

With the referee waving away claims for fouls against McNeil and , Jackson sent a shot well wide as the visitors looked to try and find a way back. Great defending again from Vitalii Mykolenko denied Sterling and won a goal kick with the crowd heralding his efforts with his song.

Into the final twenty minutes and Mudryk was carded after kicking the ball away petulantly after a foul on Patterson before some good possession and determination from Harrison led to a cross that Beto met but couldn’t beat Sanchez with. Pickford was calm in saving a low shot from Cucurella and Mykolenko blocked another effort from Sterling. There were some tiring legs out there now, the culmination of the busy scheduling and the intensity of the games beginning to take its toll.

Tarkowski cleared the danger as first Sterling then Jackson tried to find a way through and the crowd again raised its voice to encourage the players for the final push. Mudryk saw a shot deflected out for a corner off Tarkowski that was defended. Jackson earned another corner off Patterson that saw the Blues awarded a rare free kick.

More changes on 83 minutes as Mootsen and Petrovic replaced Cucurella and Sanchez respectively. It was becoming all hands to the lumps time as Chelsea kept pouring forward with Onana taking a tumble after heading the ball away under pressure from Mudryk and Everton sent Lewis Dobbin on for the final five minutes plus added on time replacing Jack Harrison.

Tarkowski blocked Mudryk after he’d gotten away from Dobbin and Patterson and a solid challenge by Onana on Palmer left him on the deck to be berated by Pickford for feigning injury. Another Chelsea corner was cleared and Doucoure got back to deny Mudryk again.

The crowd booed again as seven minutes of added time were announced, and Mudryk escaped further punishment after fouling Dobbin. Everton forced a corner of their own and blow me down, the flapped punch by Petrovic came out to Lewis Dobbin who smashed home an unstoppable shot to send Goodison into raptures of celebration.

The remaining time was played out in a cacophony of Evertonian noise and the final whistle greeted with the ultimate in roaring celebration.

Full Time: 2-0