Chelsea delivered a commanding 1-0 win over Everton at Stamford Bridge, with Enzo Maresca’s side dominating possession and dictating the game’s tempo through clever tactical structure. A 27th-minute goal from Nicolas Jackson was the difference on the scoresheet, but it was Chelsea’s intelligent use of space, overloads in midfield, and proactive pressing that truly defined the match.
In possession, Chelsea used a fluid 3-2-5 shape by inverting Moises Caicedo into midfield alongside Romeo Lavia. With Enzo Fernández and Cole Palmer occupying the half-spaces and Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke stretching the width, Chelsea consistently overloaded central areas. Everton’s midfield, particularly Idrissa Gana Gueye and James Garner, were overrun. With Garner man-marking Cole Palmer, Gueye was left isolated in midfield against Enzo Fernandez and a dropping Nicolas Jackson.
Additionally, Chelsea’s wingers posed a constant threat. Pedro Neto had a 75% take-on success rate, while Noni Madueke completed five carries into the box—more than any player on the pitch. Their direct running repeatedly exposed Everton’s full-backs and created width-driven chances.
Off the ball, Chelsea’s aggressive pressing stifled Everton’s build-up. The Blues won 16 tackles outside their defensive third, with the midfield and rest defence ensuring Beto, Doucouré, and Harrison couldn’t retain possession or turn under pressure. This structure allowed Chelsea to control the ball and create multiple opportunities, culminating in Jackson’s goal - a direct result of winning possession in midfield and exploiting space between Everton’s split centre-backs.
Though Chelsea eased off after the 60th minute, allowing Everton a late spell of possession, Robert Sánchez’s goalkeeping performance—preventing an xGOT of 0.99—secured the clean sheet. Everton finished with stronger second half performance, but without truly testing Chelsea’s structure over 90 minutes.