Chelsea went to the top of the Premier League table after beating Everton 6-3 in a stunning advert for the Premier League at Goodison Park on Saturday.
This match will go down as a classic.
Jose Mourinho’s side raced into a 2-0 lead after less than three minutes of the match as Diego Costa and Branislav Ivanovic stunned the home fans. Just before half time Everton were back in it as Kevin Mirallas headed home to make it 2-1. Then the game exploded into life in the second half, as a crazy nine minute spell saw five more goals arrive.
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First, Chelsea went 3-1 up as Seamus Coleman turned into his own net, then Everton made it 3-2 thanks to Steven Naismith’s cool finish. Two minutes later Nemanja Matic made it 4-2 with a superb drilled effort, but the Toffees weren’t going down without a fight as debutant Samuel Eto’o headed home to make it 4-3 against his former club.
Chelsea sealed the win as Ramires strolled through and slotted home in the 77th minute, then Costa grabbed his second and the Blues’ sixth of the game in the 90th minute. One of the most incredible matches in the Premier League era finished 6-3 to Chelsea, as the Blues made it three wins from three in the most dramatic fashion possible.
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The game got off to a flying start as after 2 minutes and 49 seconds, Chelsea were 2-0 up. Most fans weren’t even in their seats as the Toffees imploded in the most dramatic fashion.In a blistering start to the match, Chelsea went ahead after 34 seconds when Cesc Fabregas played in Costa who slotted home his third Premier League in just his third game for Chelsea. The Spanish striker broke the offside trap and slotted home past Tim Howard and Costa made it three goals from just three shots in the PL. Goodison Park was stunned. Chelsea were then 2-0 up after less than three minutes as Ramires played in Ivanovic who beat the offside trap again and slotted home coolly.
Everton’s defense was in shambles, Chelsea were in dreamland after a phenomenal opening.
U.S. international Howard was then involved in a moment of real controversy, as he looked to have handled a through ball outside the box with Eden Hazard bearing down on the Everton goal but the officials missed his misdemeanor and play carried on. Everton nearly pulled one back after 15 minutes when former Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku rose high but hammered a header against the crossbar and Sylvain Distin tapped home the rebound… but the French defender was offside.
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Chelsea bossed the rest of the first half as Fabregas almost made it 3-0 with 30 minutes on the clock, however Everton began to grow into the game and hit back right on the stroke of half time to make the game interesting. A great ball from Aiden McGeady found Coleman on the right and his pin-point cross was headed home by Mirallas to make it 2-1 at half time and give the Goodison faithful hope.
After the break a rejuvenated Everton pinned Chelsea back but the away side weathered the storm and then sprung a few attacks of their own. Costa broke the offside trap once again and was clean through on goal but Howard saved superbly with his feet to keep the Brazilian striker at bay. The match ebbed and flowed at Goodison as the gripping encounter entered the final 30 minutes.
Chelsea took a 3-1 lead in the 67th minute as Hazard went on a marauding run then his cross was put into his own net by Coleman. In the celebrations Costa had a few things to say to Coleman, which Howard heard and the American goalkeeper was booked for confronting the Chelsea forward. The game was getting increasingly chippy but as soon as Everton went two goals behind, Naismith reduced the deficit as he finished with aplomb following McGeady’s excellent through ball. Goodison Park was rocking.
No sooner had Everton made it 3-2, Chelsea restored their two-goal lead as Matic drilled a left-footed effort in from the edge of the box in the 74th minute. Then Everton went straight up the other end as debutant, and former Chelsea forward, Eto’o, headed home in style to make it 4-3. Remarkable.
Then, of course, Chelsea went straight back up the other end and Ramires slotted home in the 77th minute to make it 5-3 to Chelsea after some shocking Everton defending. Courtois then kept Chelsea 5-3 up as he tipped Mirallas’ shot onto the post after some more sloppy defending from the visitors.
Chelsea wrapped up the win as Costa latched onto a loose ball from Everton substitute Mohamed Besic, rounded Howard and finished clinically to make it 6-3. The Brazilian now has four goals in his first three PL games for Chelsea, and is turning out to be one of the signings of the summer. Costa’s goal capped off what was truly an amazing game, as the West Londoners go top of the PL standings with three wins from their first three games.
Everton played their part in this classic, which will be etched into the history books as one of the most entertaining matches the PL has ever seen.
LINEUPS
Everton: Howard, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Coleman, Barry, McCarthy, McGeady (Eto’o, 70′), Naismith, Mirallas, Lukaku (Besic, 89′)
Goals: Mirallas (45′), Naismith (69′), Eto’o (76′)
Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic, Matic, Fabregas (Drogba, 89′), Ramires, Willian (Mikel, 75′), Hazard (Filipe Luis, 83′), Costa
Goals: Costa (1 & 90”), Ivanovic (3′), Coleman (OG – 67′), Matic (74′), Ramires (77′)
