sport news Everton 2-0 Chelsea: Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson dent the Blues' top four ...

Here at last was a glimpse of what Everton could be under Marco Silva. Fast, aggressive, energetic and inventive; not to mention clinical. They only managed it for half an hour but against this inconsistent and maddening Chelsea team it was enough.

So this was a big win for Silva, maybe his biggest of his up and down first season at Everton. 

Poor in the first half, Everton improved beyond recognition after the break and they scored twice – through Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson – in the space of 25 minutes to lift the atmosphere at Goodison Park and remind is just what an atmospheric place this can be when the home team’s blood is up. 

For Chelsea and their coach Maurizio Sarri, it was all greatly disappointing. Chelsea have recovered a little since they were dismantled by Manchester City and then dumped out of the FA Cup by Manchester United last month. Indeed, for the first half they were the better team by a distance, completely controlling the game.

But once Everton emerged for the second half seemingly determined to show themselves in a better light, Chelsea could not cope. Richarlison’s goal – a header – came in the 49th minute so Chelsea still had plenty of time to reassert their early authority.

The fact it didn’t happen should worry Sarri. Everton were the better team from that moment on and when Sigurdsson side-footed in the rebound from his own saved penalty in the 71st minute there never looked like being a way back for Chelsea.

It was all very different from the earlier mood. Chelsea coasted through the first half and the most notable contribution from anyone connected to Everton was the booing of Ross Barkley by the home supporters.

Apart from choosing to try and better himself, it is hard to see what Barkley did wrong in leaving Merseyside for Chelsea but that didn’t seem to be the view of the fans who jeered his every touch.

There were many of those touches, as it happened, as Barkley was one of Chelsea’s better players in a first half they largely dominated.

Goodison, with its tight spaces and cramped feel, can be atmospheric and hostile but recently it has not been. Here, it was to come alive once Everton imposed themselves in the second half but was becalmed early as Chelsea enjoyed the possession, the territory and the chances.

Barkley was neat and tidy until he was withdrawn strangely early by his manager, always looking for a decisive pass forward in that intelligent way of his. Equally, Eden Hazard and Pedro were dangerous in flight and all Chelsea lacked was a focal point. 

For all the impact he made on his home debut against Huddersfield, Gonzalo Higuain has not yet proved to be the answer to Chelsea’s problems at the top of their formation and he was replaced by Olivier Giroud as his team later

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