The feeling of helplessness and crisis surrounding Jose Mourinho deepened at Goodison Park when a vibrant Everton side inspired by youth and verve inflicted another defeat on a Chelsea team that is looking tired, old and lost as it slides towards the bottom of the table.
A
superb hat-trick from substitute Steven Naismith and a quite sumptuous
defensive performance from Chelsea transfer target John Stones consigned
Chelsea to their third defeat in five games this season. The season may
be young but it already feels as if the title has slipped from the
champions’ grasp.
This
felt like an ominous result for Mourinho, who had a meeting with the
club’s owner Roman Abramovich at the club’s Cobham training ground on
Friday. Abramovich is not a patient man and even though Mourinho has a
special place in the hearts of Chelsea fans, his position may be growing
precarious.
Steven Naismith (centre) leaves with
the matchball after scoring a perfect hat-trick in Everton's 3-1 defeat
of Chelsea at Goodison Park
Substitute Naismith wheels away in celebration after handing Everton the lead with a header in their Premier League clash
The Scotland forward doubled Everton's
lead with a thunderous left-footed shot from outside of the area, as
Branislav Ivanovic backs off
Naismith completed a perfect hat-trick
with a drilled right footed shot to seal a memorable victory over the
defending champions
Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic pumps
his fist after bringing the champions briefly back into the game with a
screaming long-range shot
Everton supporters chanted 'You're getting sacked in the morning' in the direction of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho
PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE STATS by Dominic King AT GOODISON PARK
Everton (4-3-3):
Howard 7, Coleman 7 (Funes), Jagielka 8.5 (c), Stones 8, Galloway 7,
Barry 8, McCarthy 7, Besic 5 (Naismith 9), Barkley 7.5, Kone 7 (Lennon
6), Lukaku 7.5
Subs not used: Robles, Mirallas, Deulofeu, Osman
Goals: Naismith 17', 22', 82'
Chelsea (4-2-3-1):
Begovic 7; Ivanovic 4, Zouma 5, Terry 5 (c), Azpilicueta 5; Mikel 4
(Kenedy 5), Matic 8; Pedro 5 (Falcao 5), Fabregas 4 (Willian 5), Hazard
5.5; Costa 4
Subs not used: Blackman, Remy, Cahill, Loftus-Cheek
Goal: Matic 36'
Referee: Andre Marriner
Steven Naismith's final goal of his perfect hat-trick involved a patient build up. CLICK HERE for all the game's stats from our Match Zone
Chelsea
now have only four points from their first five games and star players
like Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas look shadows of the men they were
last season. Even the sublime Eden Hazard is struggling to impose
himself on matches.
Mourinho,
so often a coach who forces improvements with change, looks suddenly
powerless. His team faces Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League at
Stamford Bridge this week and those who fear for him will remember that
the first time he was in charge of the club, he left after a
disappointing opening European game at home to Rosenborg. The omens,
generally, are not good.
Chelsea
had begun the game well. Hazard, in particular, looked back to his
best, wriggling away from the close attentions of Barkley and McCarthy
and curling a lofted ball down the wing to Ivanovic. Everton chased
shadows and gave the ball away as soon as they got it.
Chelsea,
with Mikel drafted in ahead of Willian to provide extra solidity at the
base of midfield, looked comfortable and in control. Mourinho prowled
the touchline, occasionally giving a thumbs-up. It seemed that order was
about to be restored.
Then,
with their first proper attack of the afternoon, Everton scored. With
just over a quarter of an hour gone, they targeted Ivanovic – as every
team seems to do now – and it paid off.
All focus was on Everton defender John Stones (centre) at the start of the game after Chelsea failed to sign him this summer
Everton supporters displayed a banner making reference to Chelsea's repeated failures to lure Stones to Stamford Bridge
A hamstring strain for Muhamed Besic saw Everton forced into an early substitution with Naismith (centre) coming on
The Scotland international heads home beyond reserve keeper Asmir Begovic to hand Everton the lead
Naismith came on early in the first half to head in from Everton defender Brendan Galloway's superb cross
The 28-year-old forward slides on his knees in front of the home supporters to celebrate scoring Everton's opening goal
Naismith,
an early substitute for the injured Besic, took the ball deep in
Chelsea territory, turned and laid it off to Galloway. Galloway was
given time and space to cross and he did not waste it. He hit it with
curl and pace and Naismith met it on the full and powered it into the
roof of the net.
The
Everton fans, still exultant about Chelsea’s failure to prise away
Stones, taunted Mourinho anew. ‘Sacked in the morning,’ they yelled at
the Chelsea manager. ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning.’
The
game was transformed. Suddenly, Everton looked irresistible. Coleman,
impressive as always, drilled in a cross from the right that Kone
glanced goalwards. It took a brilliant diving save from Begovic, the
replacement for the injured Courtois, to keep it out.
Young England and Everton hopeful Ross Barkley (left) competes in an aerial duel with Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel
Begovic, who is standing in for the injured Thibaut Courtois, made several important saves to deny Everton in the first half
Buoyed by his opening goal, Naismith unleashes a spectacular drive from outside of the are to double Everton's lead
Chelsea No 1 Begovic dives in vain as Naismith's long distance effort beats him for a pace at the far post
Everton team-mates, including Barkley who provided the assist, rush to congratulate Naismith as Everton take a 2-0 lead
Seconds
later, Begovic was in action again, diving to his right to push a
stinging shot from McCarthy round the post. But he could not hold back
the blue tide and when Barkley played a short, square pass to Naismith,
he lashed it low past the goalkeeper’s left hand from 20 yards and into
the corner of the net.
Chelsea
were stunned. Their vulnerability this season has taken everyone by
surprise, not least them. So has their impotence in front of goal. Diego
Costa was a largely anonymous presence again here. Even in his petulant
arguments with defenders, his heart does not seem to be in it.
But
just as it looked as if the match was spiralling out of their control,
they regained a foothold in it. Nemanja Matic had not scored in the
Premier League since he got one in a 6-3 Chelsea win at Goodison at the
start of last season. It is rapidly becoming his favourite ground.
The inquest begins as Chelsea striker Diego Costa (right) and team-mate Eden Hazard exchanges words
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who is experiencing his worst ever start to a league season, reacts as Chelsea go two goals down
Blues youngster Kurt Zouma (centre) towers highest to win a header before five Everton players
Matic handed Chelsea a lifeline with only his second Premier League goal - both of which were scored against Everton at Goodison
Cesc Fabregas (lafet) and captain John Terry (2nd left) join players in celebration of Matic's sensational first half goal
Ten
minutes before half time, he picked the ball up 30 yards out and
caressed a sumptuous, curling left foot shot past Howard. It was struck
so cleanly and placed so perfectly that the Everton goalkeeper had no
chance.
Chelsea
glimpsed salvation. Their fans were encouraged enough to poke fun at
themselves and their league position. ‘We are staying up,’ they sang.
The goal breathed confidence into their team, too. They forced a series
of corners. Terry stole ahead of a defender but headed a Hazard cross
just over.
Chelsea
continued to press for an equaliser after the interval but the Everton
defence stood firm. Stones remained majestic at the heart of their
defence but the game remained in the balance until the 83rd minute when
some brilliant interplay between Barkley and Naismith ended with
Naismith driving a shot past Begovic to seal Everton’s win.
Former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku (right) wins a header in front of Blues youngster Zouma
Chelsea brought on new signing Kenedy as they continued to chase the game after the interval
Another summer signing Pedro (right) failed to make a difference before being substituted by Chelsea in the second half
Naismith sealed a memorable victory by completing his hat-trick with a low drilled shot in the second half
Hazard congratulates hat-trick hero Naismith, who left with the matchball, after the end of the game
Stones congratulates his defensive partner Phil Jagielka after the pair produced commanding performances to keep Chelsea at bay
Disgruntled Everton supporters sent a
fly over mesage 'Your Failures Are Your Legacy' to chairman Bill
Kenwright ahead of the game
Mourinho greets his former striker Lukaku, whom he offloaded to Everton, on the pitch ahead of the match
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