Chelsea Defeats Everton 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, Ending Winless Streak
Chelsea defeated Everton 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, ending a four-game winless run. Cole Palmer opened Chelsea's scoring in the 21st minute, marking his first league goal in almost three months, capitalizing on a through-ball from Malo Gusto. Gusto later added Chelsea's second goal by turning in a cutback from Pedro Neto.
Moisés Caicedo was suspended for three Premier League games following his red card against Arsenal, which allowed Palmer to start in his place for his first appearance at Stamford Bridge since the opening weekend. Wesley Fofana returned from concussion and is being managed cautiously by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who limits him to appearances once per week. Chelsea have not conceded more than once in any game this season when Fofana has been on the pitch. However, Levi Colwill remains sidelined with an ACL injury sustained in August, adding to Chelsea's defensive challenges.
Everton had some late chances in the first half, including a header by Tarkowski that went wide, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall suffered an injury after 13 minutes. In the second half, Everton created more opportunities but failed to convert, with Grealish missing a back-post cross and Ndiaye hitting the post.
Despite the victory, the report highlights Chelsea's ongoing inconsistency and brittleness, factors that could limit their ability to challenge for major titles. Currently, Chelsea sits fifth in the Premier League, eight points behind the top spot, and ranks 13th in their Champions League group.
