It was a deserved draw for Everton but it turned up the heat on Chelsea.
Chelsea made a couple of changes from the side that drew last game - and they were considerable, captain John Terry and midfielder Michael Essien returned to the side in place of Brazilians Alex
and Ramires. Everton made wholesome changes from the side humiliated 4-1 by Baggies. Jack Rodwell, Phil Neville, Louis Saha, Seamus Coleman and Marouane Fellaini were in starting line-up at Stamford Bridge.
It was a lightning start from the away team at Chelsea; Louis Saha made the most of a Branislav Ivanovic slip to stride forward and pinged in a low shot that Petr Cech got down well to save to
his right. Early on, it was slightly sloppy from both teams at Stamford Bridge, with passing in particular poor. Chelsea looked more threatening, while Everton were looking to strike on the counter attack.
John Terry almost gave Chelsea a dream start on his return when a corner fell to him and after his initial shot was blocked, he delightfully followed-up - dinked from the angle on the right –
which crashed back off the bar.
Everton were a goal down in the 42nd minute - but were fortunate not to be a man down. Nicolas Anelka strolled on to Phil Neville's woeful back pass before being carpeted by the onrushing Tim
Howard. For some reason, ref Lee Probert offered just a yellow. Didier Drogba stepped up and smashed home the penalty.
Chelsea were hardly amazing but did deserve their lead. Everton were perhaps fortunate to have all of their starting 11 on
the pitch.
Immediately after the restart, Leighton Baines curled a perfect cross and Jack Rodwell's diving header looked for the entire world to have gone in - only for it to come back out off the post.
Everton were the better side at Stamford Bridge after the interval, but Jack Rodwell header was the closest they had come to a leveller. Leighton Baines was excellent down the left. Tim Cahill
was guilty of raking his studs across the face of keeper Petr Cech while sliding in trying to jab home from inside the area, who had rushed out to save bravely at his feet. How intentional that was from Cahill only he knows, but Cech - obviously with his head
injury history - was not happy, and nor was John Terry who wrestled with Everton midfielder Cahill in protest. It all boiled over quite quickly, however, and Cech was fine to carry on.
It was agony for Chelsea again as Jermaine Beckford snatched a point for Everton after coming from bench, he tapped in from close range after Tim Cahill had nodded Leighton Baines's curling cross
on to the striker from the angle.
That goal meant that Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League - Arsenal leapfrogged Man Utd into top spot instead.
Ancelotti was furious after the game. “Today's result was not good, obviously. We're in a difficult moment and we hoped today's game would help us move on. We weren't able to do that, though,
we were poor in the second half and now we must use the next game to get out of this period and move on. I'm disappointed because we didn't play our football - and I need to understand why", said the beleaguered Italian
So, with Manchester United not playing, Arsenal tops the table overnight thanks to their win over Fulham. Jermaine Beckford's equalizer meant Chelsea's poor run continues - they have just five
points from their last six games.
Final Score: Chelsea 1 Everton 1
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