Those hoping for some Saturday afternoon entertainment would perhaps have been bemoaning their decision to tune into this game if the early stages were an indication of what was to come.
An early injury for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on his first return to former side Chelsea ultimately forced him off and did nothing to help the flow of the game, but when it did finally settle down, it was Chelsea who asserted their dominance.
The Blues have desperately missed Cole Palmer since his injury, but he was back amongst the goals here, latching onto Malo Gusto’s measured pass to slide home his first goal since September.
Alejandro Garnacho missed a glorious opportunity to double the hosts’ advantage not too long after when he bent an effort inches wide of the target as Enzo Maresca’s men appeared to have total control of affairs.
James Tarkowski spurned a good chance to get Everton back into the game when he headed wide at the far post from a corner, and it was a miss which proved costly, as Chelsea doubled their advantage before the break.
Having been the provider for the first goal, it was Gusto’s turn to get on the scoresheet in stoppage time, sweeping home at the near post to finish off a lightning-quick counter-attack.
Garnacho was proving to be a thorn in Everton’s side, manufacturing two sights of goal early in the second half, with his first flying a whisker wide of the far post before he could only balloon a second over the bar.
Palmer’s race was run early in the second half too when he was replaced by Andrey Santos, yet Everton failed to seize any initiative in the second half, failing to establish a foothold and making hopes of a comeback fanciful.
Despite the best efforts of David Moyes, who made what could be deemed positive substitutions, his side simply couldn’t get back into the game.
Chelsea stifled them across the pitch and their lead never came under any meaningful threat as they cruised to three points which boosted their top-four hopes.
Everton’s momentum had stalled after four wins from their prior five games, but they remain firmly in the thick of the European race.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
