Everton turn up heat on Rosenior as Beto double and Ndiaye sink Chelsea

The Premier League may have treated Chelsea lightly for cheating over a seven year period but Everton left them battered and bruised, and Liam Rosenior in a whole world of trouble, with a resounding victory at a raucous Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Two goals from Beto and a brilliant finish from Iliman Ndiaye delivered Everton’s biggest win over Chelsea since 1987 and capped their new home’s finest occasion so far. Jordan Pickford also secured the 100th clean sheet of his Everton career with a stupendous save from Enzo Fernández, but in truth the threat from the visitors was minimal. A fourth consecutive defeat for Rosenior’s team, and second 3-0 reverse in succession, maintained their downward trajectory under the former Strasbourg coach. Everton look a stronger bet for European qualification than Chelsea on current form.

The backing for David Moyes’ side was as intense as their performance. The team coach was welcomed by a large crowd of Evertonians as it snaked its way into the stadium while the atmosphere inside had a touch of Goodison Park about it, loud and edgy. Anger was a key ingredient.

Beto races away in delight after scoring for Everton in their victory. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

This week’s announcement that Chelsea had been fined £10.75m and banned from signing academy players for nine months, having engaged in “deception and concealment” for seven years under Roman Abramovich’s ownership, sparked incredulity at Everton. The Merseyside club were hit with two separate points deductions for breaching profitability and sustainability rules in 2023/24. Chelsea’s punishment for making illicit payments totally £47.5m to sign players pales in comparison.

There is “the need to preserve public confidence in the fairness of the competition,” says the Premier League in the written reasons for Chelsea’s sanction. That ship has sailed in these parts. The Premier League anthem was roundly booed before kick-off and there were also chants and banners questioning the integrity of the league from the Everton support. Moyes’ team fed off the indignation that surrounded them.

Everton were sharper and stronger from the off. An error-strewn opening by Chelsea contributed to the hosts’ superiority. Roméo Lavia had the ball taken off his toes by James Garner, whose fine season was deservedly rewarded with a first England call-up on Friday. Robert Sánchez was almost embarrassed by Beto when dithering in possession and inviting the striker to challenge. The beleaguered Chelsea goalkeeper just managed to flick the loose ball to Moisés Caicedo before Beto could convert. Another loose pass by Pedro Neto led to the game’s first real opening for Garner and Malo Gusto blocked the midfielder’s shot.

Iliman Ndiaye fires Everton’s third goal past a diving Robert Sánchez. Photograph: Jon Super/AP

Chelsea were just showing the first signs of a response when Everton ignited Hill Dickinson Stadium by making a breakthrough. Garner was the architect of a beautiful opening goal when he collected Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s pass and threaded an inch-perfect ball through the heart of the Chelsea defence. Beto, ghosting in behind Wesley Fofana, reached the invitation before Sánchez and dinked a fine finish over the exposed keeper.

But for the brilliance of Pickford, the visitors would have levelled almost immediately from their first serious attempt. The Everton keeper could only palm Neto’s corner towards Fernández when crowded out at his near post but left the Chelsea midfielder, and several other players, with their heads in their hands by tipping over his acrobatic volley at close range. Pickford made another fine, finger-tip save from Fernández early in the second half.

Rosenior introduced Alejandro Garnacho for Gusto at half-time, Caicedo switching to right-back, but there was no let-up in Everton’s intensity, nor improvement from the visitors. The second goal of the night encapsulated the difference in hunger and quality between the teams. Idrissa Gueye beat two Chelsea players, Marc Cucurella and Fernández, to substitute Andrey Santos’s pass in midfield and surged 40 yards towards the penalty area. There he found Beto, who turned and drilled a powerful shot that was straight at Sánchez yet somehow squirmed past the keeper and trickled over the line.

Everton saved their best until last. Beto climbed highest to flick a Pickford goal-kick towards Ndiaye, who teased and twisted Caicedo inside and out before lashing an unstoppable finish into the top corner. There was an audible buzz around the stadium for several minutes as Evertonians savoured the strike. Chelsea fans took their cue to head for the exits.