Chelsea vs Everton: The shorthanded Blues were denied victory by the shorthanded Toffees at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, despite thoroughly dominating for 90 minutes. Final score: 1-1.
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Mason Mount scored in a 4th straight Premier League game and it looked set to be the late winner with Chelsea holding 80 percent of possession in the game and finally staking claim to the lead. It lasted no time at all, though, as Jarrad Branthwaite equalized just four minutes later.
Chelsea remain 3rd in the Premier League table, but they are now four points — two more than at the start of matchweek 17 — behind leaders Manchester City, who haven’t dropped a point in seven games. Chelsea, on the other hand, have won just three of their last seven (3W-3D-1L), dropping nine points in five weeks.
Chelsea vs Everton final score, stats, results
Final score: Chelsea 1, Everton 1
Goal scorers: Chelsea (Mount 70'), Everton (Branthwaite 74')
Shots: Chelsea 23, Everton 5
Shots on target: Chelsea 10, Everton 3
Possession: Chelsea 80%, Everton 20%
3 things we learned - Chelsea vs Everton
1. Chelsea well of Man City, Liverpool’s pace: Largely due to some extensive injury issues and COVID-19-related absences, Chelsea look a shell of the side that started the season in mid-season form. So good, in fact, they had a four-point advantage at once point, but that’s all gone and has since even been reversed. Four points is hardly an insurmountable deficit, but the fact that two teams in near-perfect form currently sit above them in the table. It feels like Chelsea won’t be able to come back if they fall any further behind.
2. Pulisic not a target man (we knew that): With all three of Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz unavailable after testing positive for COVID-19, Christian Pulisic drew the start as Chelsea’s center forward. With the right game plan, it’s not impossible to see Pulisic succeeding as a false 9 on occasion, given his constant off-ball movement, good first touch and dribbling in tight spaces. That’s not what Chelsea tried to do on Thursday, though, as they frequently played long, diagonal balls to his head or chest, pitting him against center backs Mason Holgate and Michael Keane. Pulisic will feel Thursday’s game when he wakes up on Friday, after being cut down a half-dozen times by defenders six inches and 30 pounds his superior. His best moments came when the ball was progressed on the floor and played to his feet, which was all too rare.
3. Sticky Toffees defense tough to break down: For all of Chelsea’s possession and passes, it should be reiterated that Everton’s defense managed to bend without breaking for nearly 70 minutes. They sat deep, they threw themselves in front of shots and crosses, they took on wave after blue wave before finally giving way. All I’m saying is: It was better from Everton, in so much as the players appeared quite invested in the outcome.
Man of the Match: Reece James - Chelsea have begun to play through James in ways similar to what Liverpool once did with Trent Alexander-Arnold, and he’s thriving in the role. The assist was vital, but hardly his only chance created.
Chelsea vs Everton highlights
Mason Mount beats Pickford near post to make it 1-0 (goal video)
It would appear that Ben Godfrey was caught napping when Reece James slipped Mount in behind. Too much space, and Mount was able to get the shot away as a result.
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Jarrad Branthwaite pokes home from a free kick, and it’s 1-1 (goal video)
Just four minutes later, Everton scored from their first shot taken inside the penalty area.
