Chelsea 2–0 Everton: Premier League Match Report & Highlights

On: December 14, 2025 10:59 AM

Chelsea 2–0 Everton: Premier League Match Report & Highlights

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Chelsea vs Everton – Match Summary

Chelsea snapped a four-game winless streak with a professional 2–0 victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge. Enzo Maresca’s side dominated the first half, capitalizing on an early injury to former Blue Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to take control. Cole Palmer marked his return to the starting XI with the opener, while Malo Gusto doubled the lead just before the break with a clinical finish. The second half saw Everton improve, striking the woodwork through Iliman Ndiaye, but Chelsea managed the game comfortably to secure a vital clean sheet.

Chelsea vs Everton – Final Score

Chelsea 2–0 Everton

(HT: 2–0)

Goals:

21’ — Cole Palmer (CHE)
45+1’ — Malo Gusto (CHE)

Chelsea vs Everton – Timeline & Events

13’ — 🤕 INJURY: Worrying scenes as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall goes down with a non-contact hamstring injury. He is replaced by Carlos Alcaraz.
21’ — ⚽ GOAL! Malo Gusto threads a perfect through ball to Cole Palmer, who touches it past the defender and finishes low at the near post. (1–0)
24’ — ❌ MISS: Alejandro Garnacho intercepts a loose back-pass and rounds Jordan Pickford, but fires into the side netting with the goal gaping.
45+1’ — ⚽ GOAL! Pedro Neto bursts down the right and cuts it back to Malo Gusto, who smashes a first-time finish into the bottom corner. (2–0)
76’ — 🟨 Card: Wesley Fofana (CHE) booked for a cynical foul on Iliman Ndiaye.
86’ — 🚧 WOODWORK: Iliman Ndiaye weaves through the defense and hits a low shot that cannons off the inside of the post.

Chelsea vs Everton – First Half Analysis

Chelsea started with intent, clearly eager to put their recent slump behind them. The early injury to Dewsbury-Hall disrupted Everton’s defensive shape, and Chelsea ruthlessly exploited the gaps. Malo Gusto was the architect, constantly inverting from right-back to overload the midfield. His assist for Palmer was sublime, and his goal moments before the whistle was a reward for a dominant 45 minutes where Chelsea created the bulk of their 2.07 xG.

Chelsea vs Everton – Second Half Analysis

The second half was a more even contest as David Moyes adjusted his tactics, introducing Beto to offer a physical focal point. Everton enjoyed more possession and looked dangerous on the break, with Iliman Ndiaye proving a constant nuisance. However, Chelsea’s defense, marshaled by Trevoh Chalobah, held firm. Enzo Maresca used his bench to manage minutes, withdrawing Palmer early, and the Blues effectively killed the game’s tempo in the final 15 minutes.

xG Reality Check: Chelsea 2.07 | Everton 1.03

Chelsea vs Everton – Key Match Factors

Gusto’s Dual Role: Malo Gusto played as both a right-back and a central midfielder, confusing Everton’s markers and contributing a goal and an assist.
Everton’s Injury Blow: Losing their creative hub, Dewsbury-Hall, after just 13 minutes forced Everton into a reshuffle they never fully settled from until halftime.
Finishing Efficiency: Chelsea scored from their two biggest chances (Palmer & Gusto), whereas Everton failed to convert their pressure into shots on target (only 2 all game).
Sancho vs Mykolenko: Pedro Neto (on the right) had the beating of Vitaliy Mykolenko all afternoon, creating the second goal from that flank.

Chelsea vs Everton – Player of the Match

🏆 Malo Gusto (Chelsea)

A complete performance from the fullback. He provided the assist for the opener with a defense-splitting pass, scored the second himself, and helped keep a clean sheet.

Chelsea vs Everton – Player Ratings

Chelsea	Rating	Everton	Rating
Sanchez	7.5	Pickford	6.0
Gusto (MOTM)	9.0	O’Brien	6.0
Fofana	7.0	Tarkowski	6.5
Chalobah	7.5	Keane	6.0
Cucurella	7.0	Mykolenko	5.5
James	7.5	Gueye	6.5
Fernandez	7.0	Garner	6.0
Neto	8.0	Ndiaye	7.0
Palmer	8.0	Dewsbury-Hall	N/A
Garnacho	6.5	Grealish	6.0
Joao Pedro	6.5	Barry	6.0

Chelsea vs Everton – Match Stats

Stat	Chelsea	Everton
Expected Goals (xG)	2.07	1.03
Possession	58%	42%
Total Shots	17	11
Shots on Target	5	2
Big Chances	5	3
Corners	4	7
Passes (Accuracy)	530 (88%)	368 (83%)
Fouls	13	11
Yellow Cards	2	0
Goalkeeper Saves	2	3

Top 5 Performers

Malo Gusto (CHE): The standout player on the pitch; creative, clinical, and defensively solid.
Cole Palmer (CHE): Scored the winner and knitted Chelsea’s attack together seamlessly on his return.
Pedro Neto (CHE): Terrorized Everton’s left side and set up the crucial second goal.
Robert Sanchez (CHE): Made two vital saves in the second half to preserve the clean sheet.
Iliman Ndiaye (EVE): Everton’s only real spark; unlucky not to score when he hit the post.

Underperformers / Weak Links

Vitaliy Mykolenko (EVE): Struggled to cope with the pace of Pedro Neto and was caught out of position for the second goal.
Alejandro Garnacho (CHE): Missed a glorious open-goal chance that could have put the game to bed earlier.

Substitutions Impact

Carlos Alcaraz (EVE): Replaced the injured Dewsbury-Hall (16′) but gave away a dangerous ball that almost led to a goal. (Rating: 5.5)
Andrey Santos (CHE): Came on for Palmer (58′) and helped solidify the midfield. (Rating: 6.5)
Beto (EVE): Offered more physical presence than Barry but lacked service. (Rating: 6.0)

Tactical Breakdown

Chelsea:
- Inverted Fullbacks: Gusto and Cucurella tucked in to create a box midfield, allowing Palmer and Neto to stay high and wide.
- Counter-Pressing: Won the ball back high up the pitch repeatedly in the first half (8 turnovers forced in Everton’s half).
Everton:
- Direct Play: Tried to bypass midfield quickly after Dewsbury-Hall’s injury but lacked accuracy.
- Width: Relied on Grealish and Ndiaye for creativity, but they were often isolated against Chelsea’s double-ups.

What This Result Means

Chelsea: Climb to 4th place (28 pts), stabilizing their position in the Champions League spots.
Everton: Drop to 8th place (24 pts), missing the chance to leapfrog Chelsea in the table.