EPL: Chelsea Held By Everton

EPL: Chelsea Held By Everton

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca pointed to a lack of “clinical” finishing from his title-challenging side after they were held to a frustrating goalless draw at Everton, handing a major boost to Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s side face Tottenham later on Sunday (kick-off 16:30 GMT) but are guaranteed top spot at Christmas no matter the result after Maresca’s men failed to break down an obdurate Everton backline.

The weather was often dreadful with swirling wind and rain, but it was the visitors who carved out the better chances with Jordan Pickford denying Nicolas Jackson following a sweeping team move and the Senegal international heading against the post from close range.

At the other end, Orel Mangala’s low strike from outside the area was pushed away by Robert Sanchez at full stretch in Everton’s best opening of the first half.

“Defensively they are top – they are one of the five-best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets so you struggle to create chances against them,” said Maresca.

“All in all in these kind of games, knowing you are not going to create many chances, you have to be clinical.

“If you are able to be clinical then and score, the game can be completely different but until that moment you will struggle.”

Jack Harrison, who is without a goal or assist in the league this season, should have put the hosts ahead at the start of the second half when he found space in the box, but Sanchez spread himself to keep out a tame effort.

Sean Dyche’s side battled hard and could have won it when the ball dropped nicely for Iliman Ndiaye six yards out, but defender Tosin Adarabioyo made a tremendous block as Chelsea took a disappointing point back home to London.

Chelsea boss Maresca had played down talk that his side were challengers for the Premier League title – and maybe he was correct on the evidence of this result.

The Italian might have been thinking otherwise privately, but his team saw their eight-game winning run in all competitions brought to a halt, damaging their chances of bringing the trophy back to Stamford Bridge.

Star man Cole Palmer – who scored four, including a tremendous first-half hat-trick, in a 6-0 thrashing of Everton when they last met in April – was kept largely quiet, dragging a shot wide early on and creating the chance for Jackson’s miss.

The Blues striker should have done better with a free header against the post, while Portuguese Pedro Neto’s strike from range was comfortable for Pickford to deal with.

Chelsea had been dangerous on the road this season with 23 goals in eight games – but here, their run of scoring in 15 consecutive league games ended.

Maresca added: “I just said to the players I am more happy today than I was after the Brentford game.

“The reason why was I was quite worried about this game: tricky game, tricky stadium, tricky team.

“We prepare the game to win every game but sometimes there are other teams there who try to do the same so we are happy today.”

Everton had incoming executive chairman Marc Watts and other representatives from the Friedkin Group in attendance following the completion of their takeover on Thursday.

They witnesses a combative performance from the players, backing up last weekend’s goalless draw at Arsenal with another solid defensive showing to keep their seventh clean sheet of the campaign.

Asked if it was pleasing to send the new owners home without seeing a loss, Dyche said: “It wasn’t my only goal to do that, trust me, but it is a nice add-on.

“I have had a good meeting with them. They seem like really good people, very serious people, but in a nice, relaxed manner, sharing thoughts, and that has gone well.

“Of course, I said to you the other day, I’m not naive. You have got to win games.”

The ex-Burnley boss added: “We take a point. I have never not been proud of these players. We’ve come through a storm. I respect them.”

Dyche will point to a run of only two defeats in their past 12 games, but they have won just three of their 16 league matches so far this season.

The point inched them away from the relegation zone but it could have been so much more given the chances they were presented with.

Harrison had the best of those, but the winger failed to get off the mark this season with Sanchez making a smart save, while Ndiaye somehow was unable to bundle in from close range late on.

A testing December started with a 4-0 thrashing at Manchester United, but Everton have responded with three consecutive clean sheets and head to Manchester City on Thursday with a spring in their step.