CHELSEA suffered late heartbreak to draw 1-1 against Everton at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues dropped crucial points in the title race following 19-year-old Jarrad Brantwaite’s equaliser for Rafa Benitez’s Toffees just four minutes after Mason Mount had given Chelsea the lead in the 70th minute.
The result puts the Blues four points behind league leaders Manchester City, and three points behind second-placed Liverpool who beat Newcastle 3-1 tonight.
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Chelsea 1-1 Everton
Goodnight all from Stamford Bridge.
Stay safe and let’s hope we get some football this weekend.
Take care.
Tuchel speaks
Tuchel showed clear frustration after the game. It is the first time that things are looking slightly grizzly in his reign at Chelsea.
He said: “Yes, of course [it is frustrating] to give away another lead. If we see the effort we bring in a match like this, the effort we need to score one goal and the effort the opponent needs to score an equaliser.
“It is hard to swallow.
“We could have been two or three up and were playing with fire. It is obvious we missed a lot of players, big personalities, regular starters, but we will not use it as an excuse.”
It is hard to swallow.
Thomas Tuchel
Benitez speaks
Rafa Benitez chatted afterwards about the game plan.
Benitez said: “The game plan is always there and it depends on the players.
“The players, fans all together, the spirit if the Blues as they say, the issues with senior players not available, so we needed spirit, commitment and intensity against a good team. Really pleased and a good point.
“One hundred per cent every single player on the pitch was making a contribution for the game plan.
“At the end everyone was delighted. When players are not playing, the rest of the team are happy for them too.”
Really pleased and a good point.
Rafa Benitez
Everton’s young squad clinch a point at Stamford Bridge
To Everton and Benitez’s credit, the tactics worked perfectly.
They sat back and held Chelsea, frustrated them and manged to steal an unexpected goal.
They were somehow in the game for the whole 90 minutes, despite allowing Chelsea to have 80 per cent possession of the ball.
Branthwaite speaks
19-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite scored the equalizer tonight, his first competitive goal for Everton.
He said afterwards: “I can’t put it into words, I am buzzing, playing for this club, it means the world and for the those fans, travelling on a Thursday night to come and watch us, we put on a performance for them and I am buzzing – getting a result at a top team like they are.
“We worked on it in training yesterday, I got a few chances round the back, and I said to Anthony Gordon before the game just to keep delivering those balls in. When it was coming in I was like, right, I better score here.
“When I signed the contract the other day my family said just remember how far you have come – in the space of two years I was playing League Two with Carlisle, the side I joined when I was eight, and now I am playing in the Premier League.”
I am buzzing, playing for this club, it means the world and for the those fans, travelling on a Thursday night to come and watch us, we put on a performance for them and I am buzzing.
Jarrad Branthwaite
As it stands – the bottom half
Everton stay in 14th with that well-earned point.
As it stands – the top half
The draw means that Chelsea remain in third.
But if Liverpool can hold onto all three point against Newcastle, Chelsea will be three points behind them.
The Blues will see that as two points dropped tonight as they fail to put more than one past Everton, despite having 23 attempts on goal.
Full time – Chelsea 1-1 Everton
Boos greet the final whistle and it’s all over here at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea have failed to get all three points.
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
90 + 3. James puts a cross in for Chelsea but Keane clears.
Keane has been a rock for the Merseyside boys tonight.
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
90 + 2. There has been FIVE minutes announced for stoppage time.
After winning in the 94th minute against Leeds at the weekend, can Chelsea do it again?
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
90. Man of the Match is given to Jordan Pickford.
Amazing performance from the Everton and England keeper.
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
88. Everton are sending men forward now, something they weren’t doing for the first 75 minutes of this game.
They must be careful at the back.
At the moment though, they are winning the battles all over the park. Doucoure, Godfrey etc are fighting for everything.
They make a sub
OFF Gordon
ON Onyango
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
87. Everton get the ball back in Chelsea’s box with Dobbin trying to twist and turn.
Chelsea win the ball back but there’s positive signs for Everton here!
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
85. Chelsea win a corner but cannot do anything with it.
Everton win a free kick just inside their own half.
Dobbin puts a ball into the box but Chelsea win it back.
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
83. Pickford’s performance has been as slick as his hair, gelled back like a red-headed Professor Snape.
He’s fighting for everything, coming out to punch a ball into the box.
The Everton fans are enjoying this. Not long now.
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
81. Godfrey intercepts in dangerous territory after Barkley drives forward.
This game has got very intense.
There’s an anxious feeling in the air.
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
79. Chelsea nearly score at the back post from a cross.
The European champions make a sub:
OFF Azpilicueta
ON Chalobah
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
75. Everton have a VAR check on a potential penalty but it’s NOT given.
What a turnaround!
Chelsea 1-1 Everton
73. Everton swing this game on it’s head with a surprise goal.
They won a free-kick down the left hand side and a tempting cross found Branthwaite at the back post who poked past Mendy.
Goal – for Everton, it’s 1-1!
The young defender Branthwaite pokes home at the back post from a long free-kick aired into the back post.
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
70. Great finish from Mount as he smashed it past the near post rather than looking to go across Pickford.
It is the first time tonight that Pickford can’t do anything about it.
Goal – 1-0 to Chelsea!
Reece James with a smooth pass to Mount on the edge of the box.
And Mount runs into the box and slashes home.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
68. Everton attack and they bomb forward but Doucoure’s back heel finds no-one.
Michael Keane makes a crucial block from Mount.
It looks like Pulisic is paying wide left now with Saul as the false nine.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
65. Doucoure breaking up play as Saul looks for a way in.
Dare Everton believe?
There’s a fair bit of football still to play here but it’s looking possible.
Chelsea 0-0 Everton
63. Chelsea keep gunning forward but are beginning to get a little frustrated.
Subs for the hosts as Ross Barkley enters against his old club.
OFF Loftus-Cheek
OFF Alonso
ON Barkley
ON Saul
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk