Chelsea defeated Everton 2-0, climbing to fourth in the Premier League. Goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto secured the win, with Palmer’s opener coming after a brilliant assist from Gusto. Everton struggled to create chances in the second half, with Chelsea comfortably holding on for the victory.
Player Ratings – Chelsea
Robert Sanchez – 6.5/10
The goalkeeper was largely untested as the visitors struggled to create chances, but he was alert enough to execute a crucial interception when the score was tight at 1-0.
Malo Gusto – 8.5/10
An excellent outing for the right-back, who first delivered a perfectly weighted through-ball that led to the opening goal before finding the back of the net himself to double Chelsea’s lead.
Wesley Fofana – 6.5/10
The centre-back was required to be vigilant, particularly in tracking runs from Everton’s Thierno Barry, but the two early goals for the home side helped ensure a relatively relaxed afternoon for the defense.
Trevoh Chalobah – 7.0/10
Like his defensive partner, Chalobah had an untroubled game and demonstrated exceptional composure and control when managing the ball at the back.
Marc Cucurella – 6.5/10
The left-back played with his customary high energy and intent, showcasing an exuberant and committed manner throughout the match.
Reece James – 6.5/10
The Chelsea captain put in a solid, albeit unspectacular, performance, always looking composed and reliable when in possession in midfield.
Enzo Fernandez – 7/10
The Argentine was instrumental in the midfield, exhibiting intelligent movement with a series of well-timed runs and impressive touches on the ball.
Pedro Neto – 7/10
Operating on the right wing, he provided the assist for Malo Gusto’s goal and consistently posed an offensive threat when carrying the ball.
Cole Palmer – 7/10
The star of the match. He made no mistake when put through on goal by Gusto, scoring the opener and once again highlighting his importance to the team with numerous moments of quality on the ball.
Alejandro Garnacho – 3/10
Despite showing some fleeting moments of skill, the winger had an unacceptable performance, as he was guilty of squandering three clear goal-scoring opportunities.
Joao Pedro – 6/10
The centre-forward linked up play effectively at times but was unable to become as involved in the critical attacking actions as he would have liked.
Substitutes: Andrey Santos (5/10), Jamie Gittens (5/10), and Estevao (6/10) were introduced in the second half but had minimal impact on the outcome.
Player Ratings – Everton
Jordan Pickford – 6.5/10
The goalkeeper put in a solid display while maintaining his famously animated and vocal nature throughout the fixture.
Jake O’Brien – 6/10
The right-back toiled and battled hard against the opposing wingers, resulting in a demanding afternoon for the full-back.
James Tarkowski – 6.5/10
The central defender was effective, making a strong forward run in the first half that created Everton’s best opportunity of the period.
Michael Keane – 6.5/10
He was forced to rely on his experience to keep the team in contention, especially as he dealt with the threat posed by Cole Palmer’s offensive surges.
Vitaliy Mykolenko – 5/10
He attempted to overlap and contribute to the attack but struggled to receive the ball and was rarely able to deliver meaningful crosses into the box.
James Garner – 6.5/10
The midfielder saw plenty of the ball, particularly in the opening half, but was ultimately unable to translate his possession into dangerous chances.
Idrissa Gueye – 6/10
The holding midfielder was kept busy throughout the contest, working hard to quell the numerous attacking threats that Chelsea possessed.
Iliman Ndiaye – 4/10
The forward looked out of sorts in a game where Everton’s attacking unit sorely needed a high-level performance.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 5/10
His appearance was cut short after just 15 minutes when he was substituted off with what appeared to be a pulled hamstring, receiving a warm reception from the crowd as he departed.
Jack Grealish – 5/10
He delivered an underwhelming performance, missing a clear goal-scoring chance in the second half, all while playing in front of England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Thierno Barry – 5/10
As might be expected for an away striker at Stamford Bridge, he had very few opportunities, including one instance where Robert Sanchez expertly stole the ball from his toe.
Substitutes: Carlos Alcaraz (6/10) replaced the injured Dewsbury-Hall early on, while Beto (5/10), Tyler Dibling (5/10), and Timothy Iroegbunam (5/10) all had limited impact during their late cameos.