Chelsea opened the Premier League season with victory over Everton as Jorginho’s penalty decided a scrappy contest at Goodison Park.
Thomas Tuchel introduced summer signings Kalidou Koulibaly and Raheem Sterling from the start but it was one of Chelsea’s established stars who settled affairs when Jorginho rolled a composed penalty past Jordan Pickford in first-half stoppage time following Abdoulaye Doucoure’s foul on Ben Chilwell.
Everton, without a recognised striker following the sale of Richarlison and injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, battled gamely but were woefully short of quality and threat in attack.
Manager Frank Lampard’s cause was not helped by a serious early injury to defender Ben Godfrey, who was taken off on a stretcher following a challenge on Kai Havertz, with Yerry Mina another casualty in the second half.
Chelsea survived in relative comfort and were able to give a debut to new signing Marc Cucurella, the defender signed from Brighton in a deal that could eventually by worth £62m, as they made it a winning start.
Chelsea grind out opening win
Chelsea never needed to touch the heights to beat Everton but manager Tuchel will still be delighted to simply start the season with a win after a turbulent summer.
Raheem Sterling showed in flashes what he will bring while powerhouse defender Koulibaly was able to ease his way into the Premier League against the blunt instrument that was Everton’s attack.
Chelsea did not cause Everton too many serious problems but this game was effectively over as a contest because the visiting defence had too much know-how and the home team lacked nous.
Cucurella’s debut was only notable for a yellow card after he kicked the ball away in the dying moments as Chelsea ran down the clock against an increasingly frustrated Everton.
Chelsea will be looking to bring in more new faces before the close of the transfer window and have been linked with a succession of names – even though this still represents a very strong squad.
It is all about the result on the opening day and achieving it by whatever means possible, a mission which Chelsea accomplished with plenty to spare.
Everton a striker light
Everton were not short on effort or endeavour in this Premier League opener but looked exactly what they are as they started the season with defeat – namely a team without a recognised striker.
They made themselves hostages to fortune with their failure to replace Richarlison after his £60m move to Tottenham and paid the price when Dominic Calvert-Lewin was ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury sustained in training days before the campaign started.
It was a flaw brutally exposed as boss Lampard was forced to hand Anthony Gordon the thankless task of an unaccustomed role up front, predictably struggling against the experience of Chelsea’s summer signing Koulibaly and Thiago Silva.
Lampard must address this as a matter of urgency while also concentrating on bringing in other new faces.
Lille’s £33m midfield man Amadou Onana arrived in the directors’ box to warm applause in the first half before the completion of his move while talks are ongoing to complete a return to Goodison Park for Paris St-Germain’s Idrissa Gueye.
The pursuit of Wolves defender Conor Coady may intensify after those injuries to Godfrey and Mina – but the need for a striker was obvious with every minute that passed in this disappointing defeat.
Player of the match
KoulibalyKalidou Koulibaly
Everton
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Squad number3Player namePattersonAverage rating
5.61
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Squad number10Player nameGordonAverage rating
5.27
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Squad number4Player nameHolgate
Average rating5.14
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Squad number17Player nameIwobi
Average rating5.14
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Squad number19Player nameMykolenko
Average rating5.09
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Squad number2Player nameTarkowski
Average rating5.07
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Squad number1Player namePickford
Average rating4.89
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Squad number11Player nameGray
Average rating4.89
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Squad number13Player nameMina
Average rating4.78
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Squad number7Player nameMcNeil
Average rating4.71
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Squad number20Player nameAlli
Average rating4.68
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Squad number22Player nameGodfrey
Average rating4.68
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Squad number29Player nameRúben Vinagre
Average rating4.64
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Squad number16Player nameDoucouré
Average rating4.62
Chelsea
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Squad number26Player nameKoulibaly
Average rating7.11
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Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
Average rating7.06
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Squad number7Player nameKanté
Average rating7.03
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Squad number32Player nameCucurella
Average rating7.01
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Squad number17Player nameSterling
Average rating6.86
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Squad number16Player nameMendy
Average rating6.64
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Squad number24Player nameJames
Average rating6.62
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Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
Average rating6.49
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Squad number19Player nameMount
Average rating6.46
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Squad number18Player nameBroja
Average rating6.41
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Squad number5Player nameJorginho
Average rating6.38
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Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek
Average rating6.29
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Squad number21Player nameChilwell
Average rating6.28
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Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Average rating6.25
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Squad number23Player nameGallagher
Average rating6.20
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Squad number10Player namePulisic
Average rating6.10
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Pickford
- 3Patterson
- 22GodfreySubstituted forHolgateat 18′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 13MinaBooked at 45minsSubstituted forVinagreat 70′minutes
- 2Tarkowski
- 19MykolenkoBooked at 80mins
- 11Gray
- 16Doucouré
- 17Iwobi
- 7McNeilSubstituted forAlliat 61′minutes
- 10Gordon
Substitutes
- 4Holgate
- 5Keane
- 6Allan
- 15Begovic
- 20Alli
- 25Gbamin
- 29Vinagre
- 51Warrington
- 56Mills
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-3
- 16Mendy
- 28Azpilicueta
- 6Thiago Silva
- 26KoulibalySubstituted forCucurellaat 75′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 24JamesBooked at 56mins
- 7Kanté
- 5JorginhoSubstituted forGallagherat 90+9′minutes
- 21ChilwellSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 65′minutes
- 19MountSubstituted forPulisicat 65′minutes
- 17Sterling
- 29HavertzSubstituted forBrojaat 75′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 8Kovacic
- 10Pulisic
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 14Chalobah
- 18Broja
- 22Ziyech
- 23Gallagher
- 32Cucurella
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 39,254
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Everton 0, Chelsea 1.
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Second Half ends, Everton 0, Chelsea 1.
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Attempt saved. James Tarkowski (Everton) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Demarai Gray with a cross.
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Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Raheem Sterling (Chelsea).
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Nathan Patterson (Everton) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Raheem Sterling (Chelsea).
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Dele Alli (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Chelsea. Marc Cucurella tries a through ball, but N’Golo Kanté is caught offside.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Conor Gallagher replaces Jorginho.
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Mason Holgate (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Mason Holgate (Everton).
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Attempt saved. Armando Broja (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Reece James with a cross.
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Armando Broja (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by James Tarkowski (Everton).
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Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Vitalii Mykolenko (Everton).
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Foul by Christian Pulisic (Chelsea).
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Rúben Vinagre (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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