Chelsea transfer news

ENZO MARESCA was right – Chelsea will not contend for the title like this.Ahead with less than ten minutes to go, having been gifted chance after chance by rivals Fulham they collapsed.Rodrigo Muniz scored a famous winner for FulhamCredit: GettyEnzo Maresca looked on in disbeliefCredit: AFPMaresca has insisted that Liverpool do not need to worry about his Chelsea team rivalling them for the title.No one wanted to listen to him, but here perhaps was the evidence to back up his argument as Rodrigo Muniz stole a historic Fulham win in the 95th minute.They had not even scored here for 13 years, let alone won – the last coming in 1979.Fulham fans were celebrating a well earned point via Harry Wilson’s goal when Muniz struck at the death.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBefore all that it looked like being the Cole Palmer show once again, he had scored a stunning goal and claimed another record.The Blues star has now scored more Premier League goals in a calendar year than any other Chelsea player.And he notched the latest, his 26th in 2024, in front of the man whose record he nabbed, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.Marco Silva made five changes and shifted to a back three to try and slow Chelsea’s imperious forward line.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut no matter how many central defenders you throw in, Palmer will usually find a way through.And he did so in spectacular fashion.Collecting the ball from Levi Colwill in a fairly innocuous spot, the England star spun smartly away from Andreas Pereira and Sasa Lukic with his first two touches.Stamford Bridge’s main attraction shifted the ball on to his left and rolled the most composed of finishes through the legs of Issa Diop and past Bernd Leno.Most likely it was fortunate that Palmer nut-megged the Fulham defender, but he has had such a good year that everything looks intentional.The former Manchester City man could have had two more in the next few minutes too.Leno stopped two low efforts, the second coming after Palmer found space by prodding the ball through the legs of another Fulham player – Lukic this time.Fulham were still causing the odd problem, Raul Jimenez fired wide on the break while Calvin Bassey tested Robert Sanchez after an incredible solo run.Cole Palmer sensationally opened the scoringCredit: GettyHe pulled off his trademark celebrationCredit: GettyBut they were mainly making trouble for themselves.On far too many occasions Silva’s men handed over possession in their own half, overplaying in the face of Chelsea’s press.After one mishap led to a free-kick on the edge of the box, Marc Cucurella should have made it count with his diving header at the far post – but it was straight at Leno.The German was being kept extremely busy thanks to the haphazard defending going on ahead.Minutes after the restart – Silva’s chance to sort things out – he made a flying fingertip save to stop a dipping Enzo Fernandez effort.There was nothing he could do to avoid being bundled into the net along with the ball from Levi Colwill’s header, though it was clearly offside and quickly ruled out.After those early scares, however, the Cottagers improved significantly.Moises Caicedo and Fernandez suddenly looked a lot like the underperforming stars of last season as they tried to hold on to Fulham.Harry Wilson levelled late for FulhamCredit: AFPThe comeback was onCredit: RexThe visitors should have been level through Antonee Robinson, who was picked out free at the far post.But his heavy touch allowed Robert Sanchez to rush out and save. Fulham kept the pressure up, with substitute Rodrigo Muniz heading at the Chelsea keeper.Then Wilson, another sub, ended Fulham’s ridiculous drought on this ground.There was another sign of the immaturity Maresca has pointed out on occasion as Pedro Neto embarrassingly fell to the ground.Alex Iwobi pushed past the winger, who decided to roll on the ground instead of battle.Antonee Robison reached the byline and cut back to the far post, where Timothy Castange headed back across goal, teeing up Wilson to slip behind ex-teammate Tosin Adarabioyo and nod in.Fulham deserved the leveller – and then went one better.READ MORE SUN STORIESNot long after Leno had stopped from Jadon Sancho, white shirts were racing forwards again.Wilson played in Lukic who crossed for Muniz to make some Fulham history.Muniz scored a late and famous winnerCredit: GettyFulham sealed the comebackCredit: Getty More

CHELSEA blew the chance to go top, albeit temporarily, as Everton did neighbours Liverpool a favour for the second-straight week.It was Arsenal left frustrated at the Emirates last weekend, and this time it was Enzo Maresca’s team that failed to find a way past the tough Toffees backline.Everton and Chelsea played out a drab goalless drawCredit: PAEverton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford clashed with Chelsea ace Levi ColwillCredit: GettyChelsea boss Enzo Maresca saw his players struggle at EvertonCredit: GettyChelsea were chasing a sixth-successive Premier League win since November 2019, but instead they fired their first blank since the opening weekend.It was not just the weather that was miserable on Merseyside as Cole Palmer and his fellow attackers failed to find their spark.And they were left thanking giant centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo at the end for being able to escape back to the capital with a share of the spoils following his brilliant clearance at the death.It started with new blue hope all around the locals at Goodison for the first game under the ownership of the Friedkin Group, and even the horrendous wind and rain failed to put a dampener on it.Read More on ChelseaAlthough Enzo Maresca’s high-flying side threatened to once the action got underway.It only took three minutes for Cole Palmer to get his first sniff when he drove forward and pulled a shot wide.And the early pressure continued as Nicolas Jackson almost rounded Jordan Pickford only to run out of room to set more nerves jangling.Despite having the wind behind them, a Dominic Calvert-Lewin header straight at Robert Sanchez was Everton’s best early offering.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAnd even that led to the visitors responding with Pedro Neto forcing Pickford into a routine save.The banks of Everton bodies continued to frustrate and hold Chelsea at bay, and it took until 26th minute until the first big opportunity arrived.Gary Neville’s brutal Secret Santa present for Jamie Carragher ‘rejected’ by EvertonGreat work by Palmer teed up Jackson for a tap-in just yards out, but the England stopper produced a terrific point-black save to keep it goalless.Maresca’s men were moving through the gears now, and PIckford did well moments later to deny Jackson again after initially almost being caught in no-man’s land.It was starting to get personal between the Everton stopper and Chelsea’s Senegalese striker as the game continued to spark into life.Though it was the post that came to the rescue of the Toffees’ and denied Jackson next.Enzo Fernandez’s corner whizzed through everybody and found Jackson free at the back only for his header to cannon back off the post.The danger was still not cleared as Malo Gusto fired the rebound wide with Pickford flying at him feet-first to try and stop him – although a VAR check cleared him of any wrongdoing.However, it was up the other end that the next action occurred as Sanchez produced a flying diving save to his right.A rare surge forward from Abdoulaye Doucoure led to him passing it to Orel Mangala to pull the trigger from distance.Everton, who had just 24 per cent of the ball in the opening period, seemed happy to sit in and try and let Chelsea try play around them.But they almost caught the visiting Blues out as they made a rampant start to the second half.And Chelsea had Sanchez to thank for keeping them level as he produced a huge save to smother Jack Harrison’s shot when the winger had been found by Iliman Ndiaye.Dyche’s men were playing with a lot more belief, and the Goodison faithful responded, rocking up the vocal levels.And they were screaming for a penalty when James Tarkowski got his legs tangled with Axel Disasi, and the Toffees skipper gave his rival a mouthful after receiving a nudge from the French international for good measure.Ashley Young was ruled out of Everton’s Boxing Day trip to Man City when he chopped down Jadon Sancho to receive his fifth booking of the season as things continued to get feisty.Meanwhile, it just was not happening for Palmer, and a free-kick straight at the wall summed up his afternoon on Merseyside.And as his side continued to snuff out the threat of Chelsea’s talisman, it was Dyche who smelt blood.With twenty left he made a triple change with Jesper Lindstrom, Beto and Seamus Coleman on for Calvert-Lewin, Harrison and Young.And Beto and Lindstrom were straight into the action as the latter fired a ball low across the away team’s area.Chelsea could not clear their lines, and that left Ndiaye racing forward to smash home the loose ball, only for Adarabioyo to make a tremendous goalline block to ensure that they left with their point.READ MORE SUN STORIESThere was still time for Mangala to send Sanchez diving to his right but there would be no late drama as the Toffees secured their fifth goalless draw of the season.And it might not have been pretty, but that is also four clean sheets out of five as Dyche continues to edge them away from danger. 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