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Chelsea defeated Everton 1-0 in the Premier League at Goodison Park on Saturday, August 6.
Former Chelsea star Frank Lampard fielded a full-strength lineup in his first full season in charge at Everton. The XI was filled with young and talented players as he hoped to overturn the club's fortunes.
Thomas Tuchel, on the other hand, handed a Premier League debut to Kalidou Koulibaly and welcomed Ben Chilwell back from an injury lay-off. With a mixed pre-season, the Blues were eager to get the ball rolling by securing all three points.
Everton fans at Goodison Park showed a touch of class in the stands prior to kick-off, hoisting a massive tifo of Lampard.
The game had the slowest start among the six fixtures played on Saturday. Both sides failed to find a rhythm of play and found it easy to thwart one another's advances. However, Chelsea looked the better of the two sides, owing to the sheer quality in their ranks.
The first half saw an unfortunate injury to Ben Godfrey of Everton as he stayed down following a splendid block. The medical staff was brought onto the pitch and he was stretchered off after nearly eight minutes of treatment. Being injured on the first day of the season will be gut-wrenching and here's hoping for a speedy return to full fitness for him!
Chelsea played most of the game in Everton's half as their centre-backs Kalidou Koulibaly and Thiago Silva were often seen yards into the hosts' territory. This tactic also helped them recover well against the tantalizing pace of Demarai Gray when the Toffees broke forward.
The Blues appeared to have scored just before half-time following a poor mistake by Jordan Pickford. However, Raheem Sterling was caught offside and the goal was disallowed immediately.
There was drama deep into stoppage time after Ben Chilwell was illegally impeded in the box by Abdoulaye Doucoure. The referee awarded the penalty and Jorginho stepped up to score Chelsea's first goal of the new season.
They held on to a narrow lead as the teams went into the break.
Everton began to flex their muscles more in the second period as they began putting together rehearsed moves of their own. Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray continued to cause problems for the Blues' defense but failed to create clear-cut chances.
Chelsea approached the second half in a more pragmatic and calculated manner, conserving energy and easing their feet off the gas. They faced a setback when Koulibaly had to be replaced due to injury, but held on to secure the points.
That said, let's take a look at how each of their players performed.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Edouard Mendy - 7.5/10
Mendy made a slow start to the game but made a brilliant reflex save midway through the first half. He ended the game having made three crucial saves, one punch to clear the ball, and one high claim.
Cesar Azpilicueta - 7.5/10
Azpilicueta's decision to stay at the club surely buoyed his teammates and boosted morale in the dressing room. Chelsea's captain on the night put in a decent shift. He won six of his eight duels and made three successful tackles.
Thiago Silva - 7/10
Silva put in a combative and composed shift at the heart of Chelsea's back-three. He made four clearances, three interceptions and blocked one shot. Silva also won three of his five duels.
Kalidou Koulibaly - 7.5/10
Koulibaly made his league debut for Chelsea wearing the legendary John Terry's old number 26 on his back. His performance matched the Blues legend too. He won seven of his 12 duels, making two tackles and three clearances.
He was unfortunately injured and subbed off in the second half.
Reece James - 7.5/10
Reece James did well to advance the ball on the right flank, combining well with Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling in front of him. However, his set-pieces lacked quality whatsoever, proving to be a liability for his side.
James passed the ball with 94% accuracy, including three accurate crosses and two accurate long balls. He won four of his five ground duels and was booked in the second period for time-wasting.
N'Golo Kante - 7.5/10
Kante quietly went about his defensive duties as he showed up in key areas to put an end to Everton's attacks. He won eight of his 15 duels and completed four dribbles.
Jorginho - 7/10
The Italian midfielder used his passing range well to help his side carve out an opening to score. He stepped up to score a penalty to put Chelsea ahead deep into first-half stoppage time. Jorginho played one accurate long ball and won two of his seven duels.
Ben Chilwell - 6.5/10
Chilwell marked his return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines which kept him out of the majority of last season. He earned the penalty after a brilliant run into Everton's 18-yard box. He passed the ball with 85% accuracy. He also won four of his seven duels.
Mason Mount - 7/10
Mount made some creative runs into the box but was barely spotted by his teammates as they chose to play cautious passes instead. He passed the ball with 93% accuracy. He also attempted two shots, one of which was on target and the other one was blocked.
Kai Havertz - 6.5/10
Havertz made a slow start to the game. He attempted three shots but failed to test Pickford adequately. Havertz also won eight of his 16 duels and made two tackles in the process.
Raheem Sterling - 6.5/10
Sterling looked sharp and innovative on his Premier League debut for the Blues. He looked to add an edge to their attack with his pace and trickery. However, he missed one big chance and saw three shots blocked on a strange night.
Substitutes
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 7/10
Loftus-Cheek came on to replace Ben Chilwell after the hour-mark. He passed the ball with 73% accuracy and won five of his eight duels.
Christian Pulisic - 7/10
Pulisic entered the field of play after 65 minutes. He won six of his eight ground duels and made one tackle.
Marc Cucurella - 7/10
New signing Cucurella made his debut for Chelsea as he appeared as a second-half substitute. He won two of his four duels and passed the ball with 88% accuracy. The Spaniard was also booked in the second half.
Armando Broja - 6.5/10
Broja returned to Chelsea following a successful loan spell at Southampton last season. He failed to make a significant impact but attempted one shot on target and won three of his four duels.
Conor Gallagher - N/A
Gallagher arrived in second-half stoppage time and did not do enough to warrant a rating.
