Key events
Yara El-Shaboury was at Stamford Bridge and here’s her match report. Thanks for reading today.
It didn’t matter today in the end but Peter Crosby has a take on Cole Palmer.
“Has anyone ever noticed that Palmer’s dip in form has coincided with his chat with Pep at the end of the Chelsea game in January? Possibly one of Pep’s most dastardly take downs of young English attacking talent yet?”
Some Chelsea reaction from two of the key men.
Marc Cucurella: “We know now every game is a final. They are physical, very tough. Today we ran together and we felt like a team and we deserved this win.”
Nicolas Jackson: “For the players, for the fans, everybody, that’s (making the Champions League) our dream. I’ve never played in it so hopefully next year we play it. It’s not done yet but now we move to the next one.”
Chelsea’s run-in is tough though: Liverpool (h), Newcastle (a), Man Utd (h), Nottingham Forest (a).
FULL TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Everton
A vital three points for Chelsea in their bid to make the Champions League. They move up two spots to fourth and just about deserved this. Everton pressed late but Sanchez came up trumps when needed.
90 min +4: The ball is back with Pickford. Everton launch one final cross into the box but, to mighty home cheers, Branthwaite gives away a free-kick after charging into James.
90 min +4: Into the final 30 seconds and Chelsea are nearly there.
90 min +3: Clock is ticking. Chelsea are still winning.
90 min +2: Everton still trying to push forward but Sanchez catches again. In fact, Joe Cole has just given the often-maligned goalkeeper the Player of the Match award.
90 min: We will have just four added minutes. Sanchez is catching everything cleanly now and plucks another cross out of the air. Chelsea makes those changes with Palmer (now 17 games without a goal) and goalscorer Jackson going off.
89 min: Chelsea preparing a double change with exciting youngster Tyrique George and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall set to come on.
87 min: What a save from Sanchez! Alcaraz finds acres down the left and crosses into the middle. McNeil meets it on the volley but Sanchez changes direction and manages to keep it out, flicking the bouncing ball behind for a corner. He then catches the corner too for an encore.
86 min: Mykolenko scuttles down the left but James gets his body across and sees the ball out of play. Good defending.
85 min: Jackson has the ball in the Everton net as Pickford pushes out Cucurella’s thumping shot and the striker tucks in the rebound but he does so from an offside position. Play resumes quickly.
84 min: Some welcome possession for Chelsea – if you’re a home fan or Joe Cole.
83 min: Chalobah and Colwill have done well in central defence for Chelsea but they still need to see this out. It’s going to be a tense final 10 minutes or so.
82 min: Chelsea need to take the sting out of this but when they slow it down, Everton press and pounce. Crowd status: anxious.
80 min: Palmer just not at the races today and his attempted pass to Neto on the right goes out of play.
79 min: Colwill does great to take the ball away from Doucoure who was marauding forward and looking as if he would latch onto a pass and go for goal.
78 min: Another Chelsea sub as Jadon Sancho comes on for Madueke. Surprised by that. A few boos that local opinion suggests they’re taking the wrong man off.
76 min: Everton win their first corner of the match but what a waste. It’s straight down the throat of Sanchez and nowhere near the big units sent up from the back.
75 min: Madueke is the one Chelsea player still looking like he could create something and he does just that. The wide man cuts in from the right and hits an angled drive that Pickford palms behind for a corner. The cross is headed into the air and Cucurella, of all people, is the one jumping like a salmon but his header is plucked from under the crossbar by Pickford.
73 min: Totally different game now. Lots of Everton shirts in the Chelsea box as Young crosses but Mykolenko completely whiffs his kick at the far post.
72 min: Chelsea try to break but Everton snuff that out. Another sign that Maresca’s side don’t have control of this match anymore.
71 min: And, of course, the home fans are now getting a little fractious as Everton push and Chelsea are caught between knowing whether to stick or twist.
69 min: Which is another way of saying, Chelsea need a second goal. However, Everton had had more shots and more shots on target that the hosts in this second 45.
68 min: We’ve seen this film before with Everton. Not doing much, refuse to yield a second goal and then pounce at the end to nick a draw.
67 min: Everton becoming more of a threat now. The ball drops to Gueye on the edge of the area from a header and he thumps a right-foot volley straight at Sanchez. Either side and that was 1-1.
66 min: Now Chelsea’s turn to make a change and, as predicted, it’s James for Lavia. A big hand for the young midfielder as he walks off clapping in return.
64 min: All change for Everton. On come Young, McNeil and Chermiti. Harrison, Beto and Patterson depart.
63 min: From nowhere, Beto takes a bobbling pass from Harrison 20 yards out and strikes a first-timer which is goalbound. Super hit but Sanchez is down sharply to turn it away.
61 min: Neto finds Enzo, who tries to turn a pass around the corner to Madueke in the box but Everton have been pretty stout defensively and intercept.
60 min: The corner count is racking up for Chelsea – that’s 9-0 I think – but again Everton defend it well, heading clear.
59 min: Palmer crowded out as he looks to jink and work space for a shot. Everton now preparing a triple change.
58 min: Reece James warming up for Chelsea. Lavia likely to make way with Caicedo going back into midfield. Dwight McNeil warming up for Everton.
