Cole Palmer scores first goal since September with calm finish after Malo Gusto assist
Cole Palmer rose to the top, to score his first goal since September with calm finish after Malo Gusto sent him through as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 Saturday.
With injuries hampering Chelsea’s Premier League title chase, the Blues still found the wherewithal to deal with Everton’s menace at the Stamford.
It was a very dull opening 20 minutes, but from nowhere, the Blues found a bit of quality to open up Everton and take the lead, Super Frank writes for Chelsea News. Chelsea lead 1-0 at Stamford Bridge!
In reality it was a pretty simple goal – two straight passes cracked the Toffees team open. Wesley Fofana took the ball to the halfway line where he was able to play it into the feet of the inverting Malo Gusto.
Gusto then played another straight ball threaded between Everton full back and centre back to pick out Cole Palmer. The timing of the run and the pass were so perfect that it didn’t need to be anything special, just clever movement.
Palmer is only just back in the team and looked very rusty against Bournemouth last weekend, but his finish was anything but ice cool. It was the attacker at his very best, taking the ball in stride, stroking the ball past Jordan Pickford into the net and then celebrating a long awaited return to scoring form.
This is just what Chelsea needed to force Everton out of their deep block and hopefully open Everton up a little for Chelsea’s quick players to striker on the counter. Estevao Willian is lurking on the bench ready to pounce in the second half. Hopefully we get a little more Palmer magic before that change comes.
(Video): Malo Gusto bags Chelsea second as Blues strike just before half time
Chelsea have doubled their lead at Stamford Bridge just before half time.
It has been a pretty quiet game – in fact the opening goal for the Blues came from one of their very dangerous attacks. But just as Everton were starting to get forward and create chances of their own, Enzo Maresca’s men have struck with a deadly counter to add a second.
It was all about Pedro Neto. He was in his element on the right wing with space to attack. He dropped a stepover and showed a burst of speed to beat a defender, then got his head up to pick out Malo Gusto who was one of a couple of Chelsea attackers bursting into the box.
The right back, who had only scored his first goal in senior football a month ago, has now added a second. He also assisted Cole Palmer for the Blues’ opener.
The first goal created the space for this sort of follow up. Two goals to the good, we should now be able to manage the second half and can hopefully take off some of our more fatigued players. The likes of Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez desperately need a break – will Enzo Maresca risk it?
Gusto has had a great game even beyond his goal and assist, and can hopefully keep it up in the second half where Everton are sure to improve.
In the 55th minute, another big opportunity presented and was wasted by Alejandro Garnacho, who got on the goal side of Jake O’Brien, who has a couple of grabs at him in vain.
But when the Chelsea attacker was faced with Pickford, he skied hi shot high over the crossbar.
In the 69th minute, another Chelsea chance to finish the game goes begging as it continued to get scrappy in midfield and Andrey Santos used his strength to come away with the ball.
He got to the edge of the Everton box but with only Pickford to beat, Santos fires high over the crossbar.
At the 72nd minute mark,Everton’s Argentina international Carlos Alcaraz, fizzes the ball to the back past. It’s a super cross that left Jack Grealish with just a tap to send the ball home.
However, sliding in, Grealish sent his effort all wrong as the ball flies away from goal leaving Everton Manager David Moyes with his head in his hands!
On the79th minute, another Chelsea opportunity to add a third as Gusto slides the ball through for Joao Pedro, who fires wide of the post with just Pickford to beat. That is Joao Pedro’s last action.
The 80th minute saw Pedro replaced by Estevao, a popular introduction for the home fans. Everton responded in kind on the 83th as Tyler Dibling and Timothy Iroegbunam replace Grealish and James Garner.
On the 87th minute Iliman Ndiaye smacked the bottom of the post as he drived into the area, doing a little stepover for good measure, but his effort pings off the bottom of the right post.
Two minutes later, Everton returned with another huge threat this time through Vitaliy Mykolenko, who skipped past his marker down the left-hand side, sending in a cross. But Alcaraz shot is well-blocked by defender Trevoh Chalobah. Brilliant defending.
