Chelsea vs Everton. Premier League.
Stamford BridgeAttendance39,933.
Match report and free highlights as England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford makes nine saves to repel Thomas Tuchel's side; it was a heroic defensive performance at Stamford Bridge from Everton who were missing six first-team regulars
Friday 17 December 2021 06:09, UK
Jordan Pickford starred as a much-depleted Everton scrapped their way to a 1-1 draw with Chelsea, who lost more ground in the title race.
The England goalkeeper was called upon to make nine saves in a match where Chelsea had 23 shots on goal but only had a Mason Mount strike on 70 minutes to show for their dominance. That lead only lasted four minutes as Jarrad Branthwaite knocked home a sublime Anthony Gordon set-piece to equalise.
The draw leaves Chelsea four points behind Manchester City in third place in the Premier League table.
It was a heroic performance from the visitors as Rafa Benitez's side arrived at Stamford Bridge with a decimated squad that was missing Richarlison, Demarai Gray, Salomon Rondon, Lucas Digne, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Andros Townsend. Such were their selection problems, Benitez handed a debut to 20-year-old Ellis Simms to lead the line.
Meanwhile, Chelsea were missing Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi after the trio tested positive for Covid-19 as Thomas Tuchel could only name eight substitutes, including two goalkeepers.
When the Everton team news dropped, it painted a picture of a long, hard evening for the away side and Chelsea's start backed up that narrative.
Reece James sauntered through on goal but blazed wide before Mount fired inches wide of Pickford's post and flicked a tame effort straight at his England team-mate. With just 11 minutes on the clock, Chelsea should have been 3-0 up. However, Everton grew as the half wore on, showing great unity in defence and made Chelsea open them up with clever play.
Marcos Alonso scampered down the left on the half-hour mark but his cross could not be turned home by Mount, who had a Pickford-shaped wall in front of him again. The Everton goalkeeper was in sensational form and made arguably his best save just before the break when Mount was released in on goal by Antonio Rudiger but, from six yards out, he was denied by some stunning reactions from Pickford.
Everton's shot-stopper tipped round the post from Mount to open the second half as they continued their battle, before Ruben Loftus-Cheek flicked over the bar from Alonso's corner.
Cesar Azpilicueta then hooked high over the bar after Everton failed to clear James' whipped cross from a free-kick.
Rudiger had his head in his hands after nodding wide from another teasing James free-kick.
As the hour-mark passed and Chelsea gawped in frustration at their litany of botched chances the hosts knew only calmness and renewed focus would break the deadlock.
Just when the night started to become niggly, though, Chelsea broke at pace and James sent Mount in on the right.
The England star beat the defence with his run before slotting past Pickford, to cut the Stamford Bridge tension and seemingly put Chelsea on their way to three points.
But, sensationally, Everton drew level four minutes later.
The energetic Gordon won a free-kick down the left and he sent in the delivery which Branthwaite poked home to send the away end wild. It was the defender's first goal for the club.
Chelsea still had plenty of time to lay siege to the Everton goal but their attacks fell flat with substitutes Ross Barkley and Saul Niguez upsetting the rhythm that made them flow in the first half.
Everton showed great doggedness to hold on and remain in 14th in the Premier League, while there will be questions for Chelsea to answer now about their title credentials.
With Everton's key players missing all over the pitch, it was up to the experienced heads within the team to stand up and be counted. Pickford did that, and then some, with an outstanding individual performance that gave a reminder of his qualities.
The pick of his nine saves came in denying Mount in the first half as he showed incredible reactions with his feet to block a chance that his England team-mate looked heavily odds-on to score. Yes, Chelsea's finishing was pretty woeful at times but Pickford certainly had to be at his best to help his team to a gritty point.
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel said: "It was a freak result for this type of match. We were strong enough today and I'm not sure right now why we get punished. We see teams concede more chances than we do but we only have a draw.
"I am concerned we have too many players out; today six or seven players. I think this in the moment is the problem, one of the key problems. In central midfield, for eight weeks. For today we had our strikers out and that was the case for four weeks with Timo (Werner) and Romelu (Lukaku) out.
"We need to find the balance, be honest, critical with each other, but accept sometimes we get punished for not a lot.
"I would be more concerned if we were totally out of form, concede the first goal and then struggle to come back. It would be easier to analyse. I don't think it's too easy to analyse our situation."
Asked if this proved his most important result at Everton, Rafael Benitez said: "You can say that, because we have so many issues, with injuries, with illness.
"The way the team played, reacted when we conceded, showed character. It's a great point, not just the point but the way we claimed it. Everyone realised how important and how difficult it was afterwards.
"Great character shown, we are coming back in a lot of games. The way they worked we deserved something. We have had too much bad luck with injuries. The reaction of the team was fantastic."
Chelsea go to Wolves in the Premier League at 2pm on Sunday, while Everton's game with Leicester has been postponed.
