Everton vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Jordan Pickford makes stunning save
Everton 1-0 Chelsea: Follow for reaction as Everton claimed a vital win at Goodison Park
Everton moved two points away from Premier League safety as Richarlison’s goal earned Frank Lampard a priceless victory against former side Chelsea at a raucous Goodison Park.
Burnley’s victory over Watford yesterday left the Toffees five points adrift in the relegation zone but Everton responded in style in front of their own fans to boost their relegation hopes, as Leeds were dragged into the fight.
Everton made life difficult for Chelsea in a heated first half that saw five yellow cards but few goalscoring chances. Richarlison then punished Cesar Azpilicueta as the Chelsea captain was caught in possession, before finishing beyond Edouard Mendy.
Vitaliy Mykolenko wasted a golden chance to double Everton’s lead, before Jordan Pickford made a series of stunning saves to rescue Everton at the other end. The England goalkeeper somehow kept the ball out as he scrambled across his goalline to reach Antonio Rudiger’s shot from close range.
It saved Everton, who missed the chance to seal the win as Demarai Gray wasted an opportunity on the breakaway. Lampard needed to wait through seven minutes of additional time but the Toffees held on to claim a vital victory to boost their survival hopes.
Relive the drama of Everton vs Chelsea below, ahead of Arsenal’s visit to West Ham:
Team news for Tottenham vs Leicester
Elsewhere, Tottenham look to get their top four challenge back on track at home to Leicester.
Here is the team news for that one.
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Emerson Royal, Bentacour, Hojbjerg, Sessegnon, Lucas Moura, Kane, Son Heung-min.
Leicester XI: Schmeichel, Castagne, Amartey, Soyuncu, Thomas, Mendy, Soumaré, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Pérez, Daka.
Everton vs Chelsea
What a seismic day this could be in the future of Everton Football Club. A defeat this afternoon would make them the overwhelming favourites to go down with just five Premier League matches remaining.
The atmosphere is building outside the stadium.
Team news
And here is Chelsea’s starting line-up for today’s game.
Chelsea team to play Everton: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger, James, Alonso; Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek; Mount, Havertz, Werner.
Subs: Kepa, Chalobah, Sarr, Kovacic, Saul, Kenedy, Pulisic, Ziyech, Lukaku.
Team news
Here is Everton’s starting XI today then.
Everton team to play Chelsea: Pickford; Coleman, Holgate, Mina, Mykolenko; Delph, Doucoure, Iwobi, Gray, Gordon; Richarlison.
Subs: Begovic, Kenny, Keane, Allan, Calvert-Lewin, Davies, Branthwaite, Rondon, Dele.
Everton vs Chelsea
Everton may be in the relegation zone but their fans are still right behind the team ahead of the visit of Chelsea. Incredible support before the match at Goodison Park.
Tuchel looking forward to first meeting with Lampard
Thomas Tuchel has revealed Sunday’s Goodison Park clash with Everton will be his first in-person meeting with Frank Lampard.
Tuchel’s Chelsea predecessor Lampard sent the German coach a good luck message when the former Paris St Germain boss took the Stamford Bridge helm in January 2021.
“He sent me a very kind, respectful message after I took over at Chelsea that meant a lot,” said Tuchel, of Lampard.
“I was a huge fan of him as a player and he is and will remain a legend at our club and this is a given.
Chelsea boss Tuchel looking forward to first meeting with Lampard
Tuchel took over at Stamford Bridge from Lampard, now in charge at Everton, in January 2021.
Lampard vows to stay at Everton even if club is relegated from Premier League
Frank Lampard is determined to stay at Everton, even if they are relegated to the Championship, and has vowed to do everything in his power to take them back to where he believes they belong.
Everton have been ever-presents in the top flight since 1951 but are threatened with a first demotion in 71 years after dropping into the bottom three of the Premier League on Sunday.
They could be five points from safety before Lampard, who signed a two-and-a-half year contract when he was appointed in January, faces his former club Chelsea on Sunday.
But if they do go down, he wants to remain at Goodison Park and try and win promotion next season.
Frank Lampard vows to stay at Everton even if club is relegated
Lampard joined on a two-and-a-half-year deal in January, and his side enter the weekend in the bottom three
Everton vs Chelsea: Odds and prediction
Odds
Everton: 4/1
Draw: 13/5
Chelsea: 3/4
Prediction
Everton are facing Chelsea at a good time and could get a positive result in front of their home fans. Everton 1-1 Chelsea
Everton vs Chelsea: Team news and predicted line-ups
Everton have a number of injury doubts, with Donny van de Beek, Andre Gomes, and Ben Godfrey all unavailable, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina are set to return to the squad.
Chelsea will be without Mateo Kovacic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ben Chilwell. Andreas Christensen is a doubt after he missed successive games due to a stomach issue.
Predicted line-ups
Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Holgate, Keane, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Allan, Doucoure, Gray; Richarlison, Gordon
Chelsea: Mendy; Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger; James, Loftus-Cheek, Kante, Alonso; Mount, Ziyech; Lukaku
Good afternoon
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of this afternoon’s Premier League football, starting at Goodison Park as Everton host Chelsea and Frank Lampard faces his former side. Burnley’s dramatic comeback at Watford yesterday plunged Everton in deeper relegation trouble and has left Lampard’s team five points adrift of safety, so a first meeting with Chelsea as a manager therefore comes at a crucial time for the former Blues midfielder.
Everton have been relying on home form at Goodison Park and have picked up seven points from their last three matches in front of their own fans. They welcome a Chelsea side who are certain to finish third, but manager Thomas Tuchel will be demanding improvements from his side after they were wasteful in front of goal in Thursday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United.
This afternoon’s match is also the first encounter between Lampard and Tuchel, the man who replaced him at Stamford Bridge when he was sacked as Chelsea manager after just 18 months last January. Defeat would be a bitter blow for Everton, who are running out of time to salvage their Premier League status. Follow live coverage of Everton vs Chelsea below, as well as goal updates from Tottenham vs Leicester.
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