Everton’s largest defeat in 19 years simultaneously wiping out a massive goal differential advantage over Nottingham Forest and leaving supporters on edge ahead of a crucial end of campaign run of matches.
Dyche made two changes to the Everton side that scraped a less than pretty 1-0 win at Goodison Park against Burnley the previous weekend, with Onana making the side and Beto coming in for Calvert-Lewin who picked up a small knock in the days leading up to the match.
Chelsea came into the match with a heavy injury list, an important cup semi-final on the horizon, and a patchwork starting eleven looking to defend an absurd unbeaten run against Evn impossible miss for Dyche’s men that was the first real highlight of the match. Gusto lost the ball in his own half, the ball was played out wide to Seamus Coleman, who put in a brilliant cross that Beto blazed over from ridiculously close range, a chance that measured an Xg of .94.
Of course, it was not long (only 3 minutes later), that Chelsea took the lead after Palmer took a pass from Jackson and curled it into the bottom corner past Pickford under no real pressure from the Everton backline. Five minutes later the home side made it 2, as Jackson’s close range effort was saved and then tapped in with ease by Palmer again for 2-0. Cole Palmer would admittedly make it an impressive 30 minute hat trick only minutes later. Pickford played a pass out of the back that went straight to the attacker, with the keeper well off his line all Palmer had to do was lift it from distance and it was 3-0 and game over in 29 minutes.
Nicolas Jackson would make it 4 right on the stroke of Halftime, with it clearly being a case of a brutal riot being run by the Chelsea. Gomes, Harrison and Patterson would come on after halftime, but did little to affect the match. Palmer would convert a penalty in the 64th minute to make it 5-0, and academy product Alfie Gilchrist would make it 6-0 right before the final whistle blew. A merciful whistle to an outrageously poor performance as Farad Moshiri and Josh Wander looked on in what some might say is an ironic addition to the day’s performance.
In addition to the let-down performance, Branthwaite, Coleman and Patterson all picked up knocks in the match as a further gut-punch to a historically poor evening. A massive goal-differential advantage to Forest wiped out in an instant, and yet another showing detailing just how poor the current state of the squad is. Despite everything, a win at Goodison on Sunday would go a long way in quelling the ever growing negative sentiments among the supporters, but there will need to be a massive step up in performance. If there is anything left for Dyche to get out of these players, there is truly no time like the present.
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