By Sulaimon Jamiu
Chelsea failed to pick up any points on Sunday afternoon, losing 1-0 to Frank Lampard’s Everton at Goodison Park.
It was a slow afternoon in Merseyside with neither side able to break the deadlock after 45 minutes. The Blues dominated the ball with 75% possession but they failed to hit the target once from three shots on goal.
It took Lampard’s side just one minute into the second half to take the lead as Richarlison latched on to a mistake at the back from Cesar Azpilicueta to make it 1-0.
Chelsea continued to pile on the pressure throughout the second half but failed to find the back of the net thanks to some exceptional goalkeeping from Jordan Pickford.
Chelsea’s afternoon started slowly against their Merseyside opponents, registering just two shots in the first half. The Blues dominated possession the possession, bit-by-bit trying to break down the Toffees’ defensive units. Five minutes in, Mason Mount launched a shot towards Jordan Pickford but the ball went high off the woodwork.
Chelsea registered 77% possession after half an hour, yet just two shots on goal. Anthony Gordon was gifted with his side’s best opportunity 33 minutes in, hitting the ball just wide off the post. Pickford managed to single-handedly keep his side ahead a minute before the hour mark.
After Mason Mount rifled the ball against both goal posts the ball fell to Azpilicueta but before he could put the ball in the back of the net, Pickford had recovered and managed to save the Spaniard’s shot. A minute later and Rudiger found the ball after a corner but Pickford put his body on the line again to stop the Blues from scoring.
Kai Havertz tried his luck latching onto a cross from Azpilicueta with his head 67 minutes in but he failed to hit the target.
The second half continued along the same lines with Chelsea putting the pressure on the home side but failing to make a breakthrough.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek tried some nice footwork with 15 minutes left on the clock rifling the ball at Pickford but the England international pushed the ball over the bar.
Demarai Gray found himself with a great opportunity in front of the Blues’ goal with five minutes left to go on the clock but he put the ball just over the bar.
A great Chelsea move 92 minutes in saw Mateo Kovacic get a goal on target for his side, but Pickford expertly made it down in time, as the game ended in favour of the Chelsea’s legend side, Everton.
