At this late stage of the season, where accumulating points holds greater significance than delivering sparkling performances, Chelsea managed exactly that – securing the points despite a display that offered little sparkle, particularly against an opponent more formidable than Everton. Nicolas Jackson`s first-half strike was enough to see off Everton, who, having comfortably ensured their Premier League survival well in advance, seemed content to merely go through the motions at Stamford Bridge. This passive approach must have been a considerable relief to Enzo Maresca`s side, as virtually any other team might have severely punished Chelsea`s clear reluctance to make effective use of their possession.
Ultimately, Chelsea`s minimal efforts proved sufficient on the day. This weekend, at least, sees Chelsea occupying a spot in the top five. Should they remain there after visiting Nottingham Forest on the final day, Maresca will have met the expectations generally held upon his arrival at the start of the season. How the team achieved this will likely be overshadowed by the fact that they did.
As has frequently been observed throughout 2025, Chelsea demonstrated a form of control that often felt like it masked a lack of genuine attacking threat. They navigated the ball into the final third with relative ease, but once there, they consistently appeared to lack either the creative ideas or the decisive intent needed to truly trouble the opposition. Moises Caicedo inverting from right-back added to the tactical peculiarities. The more this youthful squad seems to embody Maresca`s traits, the less pressure they seem to exert on opposing defenses.
Had Everton been playing for meaningful stakes, rather than having their top-flight status assured for another year, this match could have presented a significant challenge for Chelsea. Instead, the visitors effectively gifted Chelsea the winning goal. Jordan Pickford`s low pass into midfield immediately put his teammate Beto under pressure; Trevoh Chalobah expertly dispossessed him from behind while Enzo Fernandez also closed in from the front. Fernandez quickly moved the ball to Jackson, whose swift, low shot was beyond Pickford`s reach.
In a Chelsea team often lacking energy and purpose, Jackson was one of the few players who truly stood out. His off-ball movement was intelligent, often dropping into pockets of space ahead of Everton`s central defenders, Jarrad Branthwaite and Jake O`Brien, instead of getting into physical duels. When possession was lost, he would rapidly track back towards his own goal to contribute defensively. His goal itself was taken with superb clinicality, and he might have added a second if he hadn`t been narrowly offside when converting the rebound from Marc Cucurella`s effort. A 12-game scoring drought might have led to frustrations from the Stamford Bridge faithful, but Jackson demonstrated today that he merits a significant role in Chelsea`s future plans.
Noni Madueke also impressed, providing a sparky presence particularly after being shifted to the left flank. However, the efforts of these two individuals alone were not enough to comfortably see the game out, and it required an authoritative performance from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez late on to fend off Everton`s attempts. Twice he made smart parries, first denying Beto and then Dwight McNeil as time expired for the Toffees.
It truly shouldn`t have been such a close affair against a team with nothing left to play for. While Maresca`s side managed to move closer to achieving their own objective, their fate in the top-five race remains within their control with four league matches remaining. However, repeating this level of performance in upcoming games, particularly away at Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, could lead to extremely difficult days ahead for Chelsea.
Benedict Kingsley