Key events
Andy Hunter was at the Hill Dickinson this afternoon. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM.
David Moyes talks to TNT Sports. “Not as good as we would have wanted … we hung in a little bit … we got a little bit unlucky with the goals … the one right after half-time was a blow … it wasn’t good defending but it takes a couple of deflections before it gets to Neto … the second one ricochets around … there was parts of the game we did OK … but mainly we didn’t offer enough … didn’t create enough or make enough chances … I can’t think of many [chances] so that would be the biggest indictment … Thierno [Barry] got a really good chance with his header … after that, I couldn’t think of too many more opportunities … Harrison [Armstrong] had a great tackle … the best part of the first half … people who watch football, football supporters, appreciate it … a big part of the game in our country … I didn’t see it back … but didn’t think it was a free kick … Morgan Rogers’ tackle on Jimmy [Garner] could have been questioned … I didn’t think the Harrison tackle was refereed correctly … I thought it was unfair … there are some positives but Chelsea had that little bit more flair and ability … we should have seen it out … but we gave away a soft first goal … we’ll go into the next game [at Arsenal] … we’ll take it on.”
More from Alonso as he speaks to TNT. “We are very happy with the result … the performance … we needed one of these wins away … very professional, very serious, looking solid … it is a very good win … we looked in control of the game … the team looked mature … we got the clean sheet … we knew it would be a matter of time but we got it … we need to get many more … the first one feels good … we need to keep going this way … Pedro [Neto] has great qualities … really happy for him … we have another three Premier League games until the next break … we go game by game … Tottenham at home will be a nice game, a nice one.”
Alonso: Martinez ‘conscious’ and doing hospital tests
Xabi Alonso gives TNT an update on Emi Martinez. “As far as I know he left the stadium conscious … right now he is at the hospital doing precautionary tests … so let’s see … but this is what I know so far.”
Chelsea’s win sends them fourth in the Premier League. They’ll stay there all weekend unless Brentford beat Liverpool in the upcoming 3pms or if Brighton lose 10-0 at home (!) to arch-rivals Crystal Palace (!!) on Sunday.
Pedro Neto speaks to TNT. “We are really pleased … a shame for Emi but we wish him all the best … this win is for him … a clean sheet in his honour … in the second half we adjusted some stuff … we are really happy … [his calm finishing] comes a little bit from the new coach of the [Portugal] national team [Jorge Jesus] who says when you are near to the area you have to pass to the goal … we came here with personality and good intention to win the match.”
Two calm slots from Pedro Neto bookended the second half, and decided this game. It was a proper scrap in the first half, but once Neto opened the scoring 44 seconds into the second period, Chelsea assumed total control. Moises Caicedo nearly scored one of the all-time great volleys, too; the side he captained were deserved winners. The only black spot for Chelsea was the worrying head/neck injury to Emi Martinez, who has been taken to hospital. Here’s to his full and speedy recovery.
FULL TIME: Everton 0-2 Chelsea
Chelsea win at Everton! They don’t do that too often.
90 min +12: Neto, his work bookending this half, makes way for Quenda.
90 min +11: Palmer goes in late on Branthwaite, clipping the big defender’s toe. Just a ticking off from the referee, which is just as well, because he’s on a booking.
90 min +10: Chelsea are 60 seconds or so away from their first Premier League clean sheet since January! It’ll snap a 23-game run.
90 min +9: Owen Hargreaves names Pedro Neto as his player of the match. Not a huge surprise.
90 min +8: Barry crosses deep from the right, forcing Neto into the concession of a corner. Garner swings it into the mixer. Penders flaps and misses. He wants a free kick, but doesn’t get one, and a goal kick will do.
90 min +6: Chelsea sit back, holding their shape. Everton knock it hither and yon, but there’s nothing doing right now and time’s running out.
90 min +4: George slips Dewsbury-Hall into space down the left. Dewsbury-Hall chops past the cold-starting Lavia, and teases the ball through the six-yard box. Johnson extends a leg, but can’t connect. That was a fine move, so close to putting this match back in the balance. But here we are.
90 min +2: Chelsea make a triple change. Pedro, Hato and Caicedo make way for Welbeck, Palestra and Lavia.
90 min +1: There will be 11 added minutes.
GOAL! Everton 0-2 Chelsea (Neto 90)
The free kick is in Palmer Country. Pretty central, 25 yards out. Palmer’s delivery isn’t all that, clanking into the wall. The ball drops in a crowded box to Neto, who takes a beat before passing carefully into the bottom left. A lucky break, but an exquisite finish!
89 min: Norgaard tugs at Palmer’s shirt as the Chelsea attacker advances down the inside-right channel. Into the book he goes. An inauspicious start to his Everton career.
88 min: Mykolenko throws long from the left. Penders catches then drops, but eventually tidies up his mess. “One of recent changes for the better in football is that concussions are taken much more seriously than they were,” writes Kári Tulinius. “I don’t have to think far back to remember watching players keep going with clear signs of confusion, and them being treated as figures of fun. Hopefully Martinez recovers quickly from his injury.”
86 min: With Everton pressing for the equaliser, Chelsea launch a three-on-one counter. They butcher it, Pedro eventually bashing a shot from a tight angle straight at Pickford.
85 min: Everton make a double change. Grealish and Armstrong make way for Johnson and, making his Everton debut, Norgaard. “The booing by the Evertonions whilst Martinez was being stretchered off is infuriating,” writes Rob Coughlin. “It makes me want to turn off the match. I won’t.”
84 min: Penders passes the test with flying colours. The corner’s half cleared, then Garner swings in from the left. Penders takes command, racing to the edge of his box and punching powerfully clear.
83 min: George nicks the ball off Acheampong down the left, and wins a corner. Big test for Penders coming up, because he’s got a lot of blue shirts around him.
82 min: A speculative ball bouncing down the left. Rogers brings it down and looks to turn Tarkowski, who catches him from behind, just inside the box … but neither referee nor VAR show any interest in awarding a spot kick. That’s pretty strange. Chelsea have to make do with a corner, from which Palmer tries to curl into the top left from close range. Wide, but not by much. Everton have got away with one there.
80 min: TNT report that Martinez has been taken to hospital. There’s no other news of his condition.
78 min: That lengthy stoppage has understandably dampened the mood at the Hill Dickinson. The game’s restarted … but it’s not really got going again.
76 min: Branthwaite has clearly passed concussion protocols, because he’s continuing to play. TNT didn’t show the collision in close detail, which is for the best, but the aforementioned Owen Hargreaves reports that it was a big one.
74 min: Martinez is finally put onto the stretcher. He’s moving his arms, which is a good sign, but the poor man’s face is etched in serious pain as he’s carried down the tunnel. A smattering of boos, which is both odd and unwelcome. On comes Penders.
73 min: The Chelsea fans aren’t exactly covering themselves in glory right now, with the old poverty chanting.
72 min: Martinez will be replaced by the highly-rated young Belgian keeper Mike Penders. On TNT, Owen Hargreaves compares him to Thibaut Courtois. No pressure in meeting those expectations, then.
70 min: Pickford ambles up the pitch to see how Martinez is. The goalkeepers’ union in action. The medical staff of course cutting no corners in their duty of care to the stricken keeper.
68 min: Branthwaite is back up on his feet. That’s the good news. But Martinez has taken a proper whack, and it will take a wee while for the doctors to carefully load the Villa keeper onto the stretcher.