Sunday Blues: Richarlison, Sigurdsson On Target In Everton Victory Over Chelsea

17th March 2019 - by Everton FC

The victory over top-four chasing Chelsea moves the hosts up one place in the table and within four points of Wolverhampton Wanderers in seventh

Gylfi Sigurdsson of Everton celebrates after scoring his sides second goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Chelsea FC at Goodison Park on March 17, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.PHOTO/ GETTY IMAGES

SUMMARY

Sigurdsson scored Everton’s second and his 12th of the campaign after Richarlison had been fouled in the box by Marcos Alonso. The midfielder’s penalty was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga but Sigurdsson held his nerve to latch onto the rebound and stroke home
Arrizabalaga showed good hands to collect a low 25 yarder from Andre Gomes on 26 minutes. The Chelsea goalkeeper was further extended to touch over a rising drive from the same Everton player shortly after the interval – but had no one around to get him off the hook after pawing Calvert-Lewin’s header out to Richarlison
Pickford then had a chance to show off his handling skills when Jorginho struck down the Everton goalkeeper’s throat after swapping passes with Higuain

LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom – Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson continued their personal duel at the top of Everton’s Premier League goalscoring charts to earn Everton a conclusive home success over Chelsea.

Sigurdsson scored Everton’s second and his 12th of the campaign after Richarlison had been fouled in the box by Marcos Alonso. The midfielder’s penalty was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga but Sigurdsson held his nerve to latch onto the rebound and stroke home.

In that moment, Sigurdsson pulled back level on top-flight goals for the season with Richarlison, who brought up his dozen with a close-range header after Kepa had stopped a Dominic Calvert-Lewin effort four minutes into the second half.

Everton’s victory over top-four chasing Chelsea moves them up one place in the table and within four points of Wolverhampton Wanderers in seventh.

Everton’s clearest sight of goal in the opening half came the way of striker Calvert-Lewin, identified by his opponents as a threat pre-match if the clump he got round his head from Antonio Rudiger inside two minutes was anything to go by.

Another 35 minutes had elapsed when Calvert-Lewin met Sigurdsson’s inswung right-wing free-kick with a header which flashed over the top.

Arrizabalaga showed good hands to collect a low 25 yarder from Andre Gomes on 26 minutes. The Chelsea goalkeeper was further extended to touch over a rising drive from the same Everton player shortly after the interval – but had no one around to get him off the hook after pawing Calvert-Lewin’s header out to Richarlison.

Jordan Pickford intervened crucially at the other end much earlier on. After only six minutes in fact, when the elusive Eden Hazard weaved into the box and fired off a shot which Pickford saved at the foot of his right post.

Hazard clunked the opposite upright with an 18-yard strike across goal following neat approach play from Gonzalo Higuain.

Chelsea in this period were circling possession in Everton’s half, patiently trying to wear a hole in the hosts’ disciplined structure.

Gomes and Idrissa Gana Gueye doubled up to provide a reliable shield for Everton’s back-four – in the middle of which Michael Keane and Yerry Mina, starting for the first time since December 29, were doing a good job of policing Argentine Higuain and dealing with balls sent in from wide.

Chelsea, then, went over the top, Higuain’s first touch sublime to rein in Jorginho’s ball, his next one – an attempt at goal – was slowed up by Pickford before Keane cleared up on his own line.

Calvert-Lewin blasted too high from distance after the forward was found by Lucas Digne’s pass infield.

Pickford then had a chance to show off his handling skills when Jorginho struck down the Everton goalkeeper’s throat after swapping passes with Higuain.

The England number one was equally assured when confronted with a strike from Ross Barkley which reared nastily off the turf.