Chelsea suffered a major blow in their hopes of securing Champions League football next season, after slumping to a 2-0 defeat to Everton.
The Blues went off to a fabulous start but should have been more clinical with their chances as goals from Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson sealed all three points for the Toffees.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (6/10): Tried his best to keep his side in the contest, notably denying Andre Gomes’ effort in the first-half while saving a penalty in the second. He was, however, unfortunate with the rebound. Could have done better in keeping out the first goal, though as he practically gifted the ball to Richarlison.
Cesar Azpilicueta (5/10): His deteriorating form will certainly be a cause for concern for Maurizio Sarri as the Spaniard once again failed to marshall the defence and had real problems in playing out from the back. His offensive support just wasn’t there.
Antonio Rudiger (6.5/10): Had the measure of Dominic-Calvert Lewin for the most part of the game and the German’s commitment and hard-work was certainly influential. However, he lacked support from his fellow defenders.
David Luiz (6/10): Looked quite convincing in his distribution, especially in the first half as he found a couple of incisive long-passes. But, the Brazilian panicked when the Toffees pushed Chelsea back in the second half and could have done much better in injecting more balance into the team.
Marcos Alonso (5/10): Yet another sloppy performance from the Spaniard, whose 2016/17 form is nothing but a distant memory now. While Alonso did cause some trouble with his runs forward, he struggled in coping with the Everton wingers, thereby exposing the Chelsea defence on numerous occasions.
N’Golo Kante (6/10): Used his physicality well and showed displayed excellent hold-up play in midfield but the Frenchman failed to disrupt Everton’s flow with his interceptions and tackles. Should have featured in a deeper role.
Jorginho (6.5/10): Had an impressive first-half, where his precise passing helped Chelsea dominate their opposition while the Italian also created a few opportunities for his team, notably setting up Gonzalo Higuain. However, he was largely anonymous after the restart.
Ross Barkley (5.5/10): It was a miserable night for Barkley on his return to the Goodison Park, largely due to the hostility of the Everton supporters. But, the England international showed nimble footwork to evade the Everton press, at times, though he was otherwise quite ineffective in midfield.
Pedro (6.5/10): Arguably the most active attacker for Chelsea this evening, Pedro’s endeavour and tenacity was certainly inspiring but the Spaniard lacked penetration. He was also wasteful in putting away his chances.
Gonzalo Higuain (6.5/10): His combination play with the likes of Hazard and Pedro was simply impeccable. However, the Argentine once again lacked penetration and his slow pace was certainly a huge disadvantage as Chelsea lacked the tenacity to put pressure on the Everton defenders.
Eden Hazard (7/10): Tried to make a difference by shifting into a more central role but he was, often times, isolated by the Everton defenders. He did, however, manage to test the ‘keeper on a few occasions but his influence waned when the Toffees adhered to a more attacking game.
SUBSTITUTES
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (6.5/10): Replaced Barkley in the 65th minute and offered more physicality and directness into the Chelsea midfield but had no tangible impact.
Olivier Giroud (6.5/10): Came on for Higuain in the 66th minute and tried his best to disrupt Everton’s dominance. That being said, he was largely isolated by the disciplined Everton defenders.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (NA): Should have been brought on much earlier as he had very little time to make an impact after replacing Jorginho in the 74th minute.