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Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson finally ended his goal drought to help Chelsea increase their chances of finishing in the top four this season
Chelsea had Nicolas Jackson to thank for the three points after the Senegalese striker's powerful effort gave the blues a much needed win over Everton in the race for UEFA Champions League football next season.
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Jackson scored just before the half-hour mark with an effort from the edge of the box, and Chelsea hung on to the lead for the rest of the match to secure a result that moves them into fourth-place on 60 points.
How it happened
Chelsea started strongly in their crucial push for a UEFA Champions League spot, but Everton's Beto quickly tested Robert Sánchez and a determined Blues backline. Despite Everton’s defensive resilience, Chelsea pressed forward with Noni Madueke and Marc Cucurella both coming close early on.
The breakthrough arrived when Trevoh Chalobah dispossessed Beto, leading to Enzo Fernández setting up Nicolas Jackson, who clinically finished for his first goal since December.
Chelsea maintained pressure after taking the lead, with Madueke and Fernández both threatening, although Abdoulaye Doucouré missed a good chance for Everton just before halftime.
After the break, Madueke continued causing problems, but Jordan Pickford produced a series of sharp saves to keep Everton in the match. Sánchez, on the other hand, kept Beto and Idrissa Gueye at bay with confident stops of his own.
Late drama saw Jackson’s goal ruled out for offside, but Sánchez' heroics against Dwight McNeil preserved Chelsea’s 1-0 win, marking back-to-back victories and lifting them temporarily to fourth place. Everton, meanwhile, suffered a second consecutive defeat after an impressive 12-game run with just one previous loss.
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