SOCCER/Everton 2 Chelsea 1:THERE WAS no hostile reception for John Terry at Goodison Park but he was to suffer regardless. The Chelsea and former England captain was at fault for both Everton goals as David Moyes celebrated his first victory over the London club and Carlo Ancelotti saw his side falter at the Premier League summit. And they could have few complaints.
Louis Saha took advantage of two slips by Terry to condemn Chelsea to their fourth defeat of the season on a night when, apart from a late rally that saw Didier Drogba head against the crossbar, they lacked the authority of championship favourites.
In was Everton and Moyes, stung by criticism of their performance against Liverpool, who played as though they had more to prove, in the wake of Saturday’s Merseyside derby defeat.
A one-match suspension for Steven Pienaar removed much-needed creativity from Moyes’ midfield while the defensive shield and composure of Marouane Fellaini, Everton’s most influential player of late, was also missing as a result of the “elephant’s ankle” – to quote his manager – he received from the Liverpool defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
Fellaini’s absence left Everton with a lightweight central midfield of Leon Osman and Mikel Arteta, making his first start since rupturing a cruciate ligament at Newcastle 12 months ago, and Chelsea were quick to take advantage, taking the lead on 17 minutes.
Everton’s undoing again proved to be their defending in the air, with Tim Cahill and Phil Neville both caught out by Didier Drogba’s movement as they all chased a straightforward clearance from Petr Cech. Neither Everton player went through with their intent to challenge the Chelsea striker and he flicked a header backwards for Florent Malouda to run unopposed into the area and shoot low under Tim Howard.
Ricardo Carvalho then sent another free header straight at the Everton goalkeeper, this time from a Lampard corner, but just as Goodison began to fear the worst and with their defence appearing increasingly vulnerable, they recovered impressively.
Moyes had issued a deliberate challenge to Saha to up his goal rate and the French striker took the instruction on board to score his third goal in three matches against Chelsea.
Landon Donovan swept over a corner from the right that eluded Lampard at the near post and Chelsea’s Achilles was exposed yet again, Saha gaining a yard on Terry to send a glancing header into the far corner. This was the 21st league goal that Chelsea had conceded this season and 16 have arrived courtesy of a set-piece.
Everton and Saha’s night should have improved significantly a minute before half-time when Cahill’s incisive pass released Donovan on the edge of the area. The USA captain stepped inside Carvalho and had his legs taken by the defender’s trailing leg for a clear spot-kick.
Saha’s penalty was nowhere near as convincing as his earlier header, however, and Cech parried comfortably to his left.
Ancelotti opted for a two-man attack from the start of the second half, with Malouda tucking in behind in an attempt to regain the midfield superiority that Chelsea had lost before the interval.
Moyes’s plea for a greater cutting edge was finally answered 15 minutes from time, when Terry missed Sylvain Distin’s long ball out of defence and Saha, having controlled beautifully on his chest, swept a fine finish past Cech.
EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines, Donovan,Arteta (Rodwell 74), Osman, Bilyaletdinov (Gosling 86), Cahill, Saha (Senderos 90). Subs Not Used: Nash, Vaughan, Yakubu, Coleman. Booked: Donovan. Goals: Saha 33, 75.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole (Ballack 56), Lampard, Mikel (Sturridge 76),Zhirkov, Anelka (Kalou 66), Drogba, Malouda. Subs Not Used: Hilario, Paulo Ferreira, Matic, Bruma. Booked: Mikel, Malouda. Goals: Malouda 17.
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).
