Everton’s Premier League survival campaign was boosted by Richarlison’s strike and Jordan Pickford’s heroics between the posts as the Toffees defeated Chelsea 1-0 at Goodison Park.
Everton were five points from safety after Burnley’s thrilling win over Watford on Saturday, and despite being underdogs against Chelsea, Frank Lampard’s side rose to the occasion.
During a brutal first half, there were four more yellow cards than shots on target, but the action picked up after the break courtesy to Richarlison’s clinical opener.
Everton hung on to a potentially crucial win after Vitalii Mykolenko squandered a chance to make it 2-0. Pickford made two brilliant saves to keep Everton in the game.
The most dramatic episode undoubtedly was the extended fight between the two sets of players when Mason Mount fouled Yerry Mina, with Seamus Coleman and Cesar Azpilicueta both receiving yellow cards for going head-to-head.
Anthony Gordon, who had cut in from the right wing, had gone close a few moments before, firing just wide of the bottom-right corner.
That, combined with Everton’s desire to scrap, gained them the lead soon after halftime, when Richarlison robbed Azpilicueta and ran past Edouard Mendy after Demarai Gray put him free.
A few moments later, Mykolenko shot wide from close range for no apparent reason, before Pickford grabbed center stage.
After Mount’s shot hit both posts, he miraculously denied Azpilicueta’s rebound attempt right on the line, then blocked a point-blank Antonio Rudiger strike with his face.
Finally, right near the finish, he got down well enough to keep Mateo Kovacic’s goal-bound shot out.
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