Chelsea showed there really might be no place like
home as they finally ended their Everton hoodoo with
a 3-1 victory to maintain their 100% record at Stamford
Bridge this season.
The Blues' recent results against Everton on their
own ground might have been reason enough for them to
want to move to a new stadium, but they swept to their
first victory over their bogey side since the 2009 FA
Cup final.
Everton had also not lost on their previous five league
visits to Stamford Bridge, although they had not had
to contend with Juan Mata, who was Chelsea's inspiration.
The Spain winger started the move that broke the deadlock
- Daniel Sturridge nodding home his fourth goal of the
season - and laid on the third for Ramires after John
Terry scored on his 350th Premier League appearance.
There was to be no clean sheet for the Chelsea captain,
with Apostolos Vellios grabbing a late consolation with
his first touch after coming off the bench.
The win nevertheless saw Andre Villas-Boas' men capitalise
on Manchester United's draw at Liverpool and put them
back within three points of new leaders Manchester City.
It was Chelsea's first match since they announced their
bid to buy back the freehold of Stamford Bridge, which
they sold to a supporter-led group - Chelsea Pitch Owners
- in the 1990s.
Opponents of their proposal, which has been seen as
a precursor to a move to a new stadium, distributed
leaflets before the game in the hope of rallying support.
The visitors might have been tempted to back the `Say
No CPO' campaign themselves so impressive was their
record at Stamford Bridge, and they looked set to extend
it in the opening half hour as Chelsea toiled.
Didier Drogba almost played Ramires clean through but
Sylvain Distin intervened, while Everton showed their
threat on the break when Louis Saha fired straight at
Petr Cech.
Marouane Fellaini was booked for catching Ramires in
the 16th minute but he might have given the otherwise
well-drilled visitors the lead five minutes later, a
heavy touch allowing John Obi Mikel to intercept.
Chelsea were crying out for some inspiration and when
it finally arrived in the 31st minute, the source was
no surprise.
Mata brilliantly picked out Ashley Cole's surge into
the box and the left-back stood up a first-time cross
which Sturridge simply could not fail to nod into the
net.
Everton continued to look more than capable of scoring
themselves, but were undone again in first-half stoppage-time
when Seamus Coleman fouled Cole and Terry beat Tim Howard
to nod home Frank Lampard's free-kick.
Leon Osman almost pulled a goal back straight after
the restart with a shot that shaved the outside of the
post, but with the comfort of a two-goal lead, Chelsea
soon began putting together some lovely passages of
play.
Drogba inexplicably stopped running when Jose Bosingwa
looked set to put the ball on a plate for the striker
and although Osman drilled over, Everton boss David
Moyes decided to act, withdrawing Coleman for Royston
Drenthe just past the hour mark.
No sooner had he done so and it was game over, a sweeping
Chelsea move seeing Mata exchange passes with Drogba
before sending in a low cross which was inch-perfect
for Ramires to slide home.
Ramires appeared to hurt himself beating two defenders
to the ball and had to be helped from the field after
the restart, with Florent Malouda coming on.
Sturridge was then controversially booked for diving
when challenged by Drenthe, the striker open-mouthed
in disbelief at the verdict.
Everton brought on club captain Phil Neville for Cahill
and Chelsea responded soon after by withdrawing Mikel
and the outstanding Mata for Oriol Romeu and Nicolas
Anelka.
The Blues were in cruise control but were denied their
first clean sheet since the opening day of the league
season when Moyes threw on Vellios for Saha nine minutes
from time and watched the substitute immediately slide
home Drenthe's cross.
It was merely a consolation and Lampard might have
made it 4-1 in stoppage-time when he volleyed Drogba's
chest down straight at Howard.
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