Premier League, GWK 7
Everton returned to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday 17 October 2026 for a Premier League Matchweek 7 meeting with Chelsea, looking to protect their unbeaten league start after the 2-2 draw at Hull.
David Moyes made two changes: Vitalii Mykolenko returned from injury in place of Michael Keane, while Merlin Röhl replaced Brennan Johnson. Jarrad Branthwaite was fit to start.
Everton XI: Pickford, Maitland-Niles, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Garner, Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall, Röhl, Grealish, Barry. Chelsea made one change from their 5-1 win over Bournemouth, with Jorrel Hato replacing Pep Chavarría.
The game got off to a cagey start with both teams looking to probe and get forward when the opportunity was there. on 13 minutes Everton have a good chance to put the visiting defence under pressure as they’re awarded a free-kick out on the left. Caicedo’s too aggressive in his challenge on Dewsbury-Hall. Yet, Garner’s delivery is overhit and floats behind for a goal-kick.
Chelsea dominated the ball early, but Everton stayed compact and avoided the slow defensive start that had hurt them in previous games. Cole Palmer produced the first effort after 15 minutes, driving from distance into Jordan Pickford’s hands.
Everton began to threaten down the left through Jack Grealish and Vitalii Mykolenko. Harrison Armstrong was booked in the 25th minute for a sliding challenge on Josh Acheampong that looked incredibly harsh, before Thierno Barry forced Emiliano Martínez into a save with a close-range header. Grealish swung a delicious second delivery into the box,It was begging to be attacked and Barry did so, but he sent a free header straight at Martinez. Either side of him, and it’s 1-0 to Everton. It was a similar type of chance that sadly Thierno has missed on a few ocassions so far this season.
The contest became increasingly physical. Pedro Neto was cautioned after protesting a time-wasting decision, while James Tarkowski and Morgan Rogers also went into Paul Tierney’s book following a confrontation around an Everton free kick in the 34th minute after Tarkowski blatantly barged into Rogers who then reacted to the provocation.
Barry had another opening after Mykolenko worked the ball into the area, but his shot lacked the power to trouble Martínez. Chelsea carried the greater set-piece danger: Moisés Caicedo struck the crossbar with a fierce volley from a rehearsed corner, Neto forced Pickford to palm over, and Armstrong cleared the resulting header off the line.
Everton were furious shortly before the interval when Rogers, already booked, caught James Garner high in a 50-50 challenge. Neither the referee nor VAR produced a second yellow or red card. Really frustrating this for Everton because it was at minimum a very clear and obvious yellow card offence by Rogers and Garner then had to leave the field to receive treatment yet Rogers who had been trying to make out he was hurt seconds earlier suddenly made a miraculous recovery and didn’t require treatment so could play on. Garner was visibly incensed on the touchline.
HALF-TIME: EVERTON 0-0 CHELSEA
Everton 1st Half Chelsea
0.31 xG 0.48
39% Ball Possession 61%
4 Total shots 5
4 Shots on Target 3
9 Touches in oppo box 8
Chelsea struck just 45 seconds after the restart. A move down Everton’s left ended with Pedro Neto receiving the cutback at the far side of the box and squeezing a low finish through Jordan Pickford to put the visitors ahead in the 46th minute.
Everton struggled to regain control after the goal. David Moyes responded in the 55th minute by replacing Ainsley Maitland-Niles with former Chelsea attacker Tyrique George and moving Merlin Röhl to right-back. Röhl soon made an important block to prevent Morgan Rogers from extending Chelsea’s lead.
Everton earned a dangerous free kick after Moisés Caicedo brought down Harrison Armstrong. Emiliano Martínez parried the delivery but collided heavily with Jarrad Branthwaite while contesting the loose ball. After a lengthy stoppage the Chelsea goalkeeper was carried off on a stretcher and replaced by 21-year-old Mike Penders.
With the match restarted, Everton tried to increase the pressure by changing the positions of Grealish and George. Brennan Johnson and Christian Nørgaard were introduced in the 85th minute for Grealish and Armstrong, but Chelsea’s defensive shape continued to restrict Everton and we were struggling to get any shots on target at all.
In the 86th minute Chelsea could have ended the game. It’s three against one with Palmer leading the charge. He has Rogers to his left, but plays the ball to Joao Pedro on the right. The latter’s touch isn’t the best, but he gets his shot away, though it’s straight at Pickford.
Chelsea sealed the result in the 90th minute. Nørgaard gave Chelsea a free kick in a great area after a cheap foul on Palmer.
Their free kick struck the Everton wall, Neto reacted first to the loose ball and his shot deflected off Mykolenko before beating Pickford for his second goal of the afternoon.
Eleven minutes of added time followed because of the goalkeeper injury, but Everton could not find a route back into the game. The 0-2 defeat ended their unbeaten Premier League start, while Chelsea recorded their first league clean sheet of the season.
FULL-TIME: EVERTON 0-2 CHELSEA
Everton 2nd Half Chelsea
0.12 xG 0.99
54% Ball Possession 46%
2 Total shots 13
1 Shots on Target 4
1 Big Chances 3
8 Touches in opposition box 13
Everton Overall Chelsea
0.43 xG 1.47
47% Ball Possession 53%
6 Total shots 18
5 Shots on Target 7
2 Big Chances 3
17 Touches in opposition box 21
Referee Paul Tierney
Attendance 52,271
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