Thomas Tuchel was right, Chelsea were not at their best on day one. Don’t advance at least.
But it’s not often they come here and win, so that alone would have been a huge source of satisfaction, regardless of their performance.
Goodison Park is not a ground that Chelsea have enjoyed visiting for some time. He had lost his previous four in a row and nine of his last 13.
Jorginho scored from the penalty spot in the ninth minute of added time at the end of the first half to put Chelsea 1-0 ahead.
And even without a striker after the sale of Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s knee injury and Salomon Rondon’s suspension, this still had the makings of another awkward trip to the blue half of Merseyside for Chelsea : A Goodison Park whipped in the opener and most. optimistic day of the season for the teams and their supporters.
MATCH STATISTICS
EVERTON (5-4-1): Pickford 7; Patterson 6.5, Mina 7.5 (Vinegar 70, 6), Godfrey 6 (Holgate 18, 6), Tarkowski 7.5, Mykolenko 6.5; McNeil 6.5 (Alli 61, 6), Doucoure 7, Iwobi 8, Gray 6; Gordon 7.5.
Subs not used: Begovic, Keane, Allan, Gbamin, Vinagre, Warrington, Mills.
Reserved: Mina, Mykolenko, Holgate
Manager: Frank Lampard 7
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Mendy 7; Azpilicueta 7.5, Silva 8, Koulibaly 7.5 (Cucurella 75, 7); James 6.5, Kante 7.5, Jorginho 7 (Gallagher 90), Chilwell 6 (Loftus-Cheek 65, 6); Mount 6.5 (Police 65, 6), Sterling 7, Havertz 5.5 (Broja 74, 6.5).
Scorer: Jorginho 45+9
Booked: James, Cucurella
Manager: Thomas Tuchel 7.5
Referee: Craig Pawson 5
Attendance: 39,254
Chelsea, however, emerged unscathed this time thanks to Jorginho’s first-half penalty, won by Ben Chilwell, and some important contributions from his fellow defenders, the highly experienced trio of captain Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and debutant Kalidou Koulibaly.
Raheem Sterling was the sharpest of his front three with Mason Mount and Kai Havertz quiet, but with time and more additions the chemistry and quality, Tuchel will hope, will surely come.
Meanwhile, even in defeat, there was encouragement for Everton manager and former Chelsea great Lampard.
Everton carried enough threat without a natural striker (Anthony Gordon, Demarai Gray and Dele Alli featured in the middle) that each member of Chelsea’s back three and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy came to the visitors’ rescue at different points.
However, a nasty early leg injury to Ben Godfrey was a huge negative that was impossible for Everton to ignore.
Both teams were entering the new season when Everton suffered this blow for Godfrey, even bigger than Calvert Lewin’s six-week layoff.
Cruelly, there were a couple of points where it all could have been avoided.
Godfrey’s wrong step back forced Jordan Pickford out of his goal to try and avoid a corner.
He couldn’t get to the ball before it ran out, though the umpires didn’t spot it and play continued.
Godfrey, desperate to make amends, ran back and tackled Kai Havertz who picked up the loose ball, but in doing so his right leg became trapped under his body and he was so badly injured that he immediately he asked for help.
It took almost ten minutes of treatment before he was lowered onto a stretcher and taken straight to the hospital.
Pickford was forced to make a save from England team-mate Mason Mount once play resumed, but Everton, to their credit, were undeterred by the loss of their teammate
If anything, their intensity rose, troubling and unsettling Chelsea at times, and James Tarkowski forced Edouard Mendy into a flying save with a header before Anthony Gordon adjudged another.
The Italian sent goalkeeper Jordan Pickford the wrong way after Ben Chilwell was brought down by Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Ben Godfrey suffered a nasty injury and was stretchered off in the first half, dealing a serious injury blow to the Toffees.
This was followed by a near miss each as Demarai Gray failed to complete what looked like a simple through ball to an unmarked Gordon just as Everton found themselves in a two-on-one run towards goal from Chelsea, allowing Thiago Silva to meet the danger with a typically classy interception, before Raheem Sterling thought he had bagged his first competitive Blues goal only to be denied by an offside flag.
After Godfrey’s injury, eight extra minutes were called and in the last of them Chelsea took the lead.
Sterling kept Chelsea’s attack alive after Havertz failed to connect properly with a right-wing cross before Koulibaly slotted Chilwell in behind the Everton defence.
Abdoulaye Doucoure clumsily bundled into Chilwell’s back, referee Craig Pawson pointed to the spot and, after Yerry Mina did his best to distract him, earning himself a booking in the process, Jorginho was wrong to Pickford from the spot with the last significant kick of the first half.
Raheem Sterling had a goal disallowed for offside after following up N’Golo Kante’s shot, which Pickford made a first-time save.
Marc Cucurella came on as a second-half substitute to make his Chelsea debut following his £62million move from Brighton.
Everton carried the threat in the early stages of the second half. A slight mix-up between Mendy and Silva gave Gray a shooting opportunity with Alex Iwobi’s through ball, the winger deflected wide by the Brazilian.
Mendy then dribbled in a corner but quickly rose and flew to make a sprawling save to keep out Doucoure’s effort before grabbing the ball as it bounced loose.
Alli came on just after the hour mark and twice Azpilicueta was required to sprint to thwart him when he threatened.
Safe enough at the back, Chelsea were finding chances hard to come by at the other end.
From the biggest they created in the second half, summer signings Sterling and Marc Cucurella combined and the former’s effort was on target until Vitali Mykolenko flew over to block.
But the penalty chance they won and Jorginho took at the end of the first half was enough.
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