Blues fluff chance to temporarily leapfrog Liverpool into top spot

CHELSEA blew the chance to go top, albeit temporarily, as Everton did neighbours Liverpool a favour for the second straight week.

It was Arsenal left frustrated at the Emirates last weekend, and this time it was Enzo Maresca’s team that failed to find a way past the tough Toffees backline.

Chelsea were chasing a sixth successive Premier League win since November 2019, but instead they fired their first blank since the opening weekend.

It was not just the weather that was miserable on Merseyside as Cole Palmer and his fellow attackers failed to find their spark.

And they were left thanking giant centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo at the end for being able to escape back to the capital with a share of the spoils following his brilliant clearance at the death.

It started with new hope all around the locals at Goodison for the first game under the ownership of the Friedkin Group, and even the horrendous wind and rain failed to put a dampener on it.

Although Maresca’s high-flying side threatened to once the action got underway.

It only took three minutes for Palmer to get his first sniff when he drove forward and pulled a shot wide.

And the early pressure continued as Nicolas Jackson almost rounded Jordan Pickford only to run out of room to set more nerves jangling.

Despite having the wind behind them, a Dominic Calvert-Lewin header straight at Robert Sanchez was Everton’s best early offering.

And even that led to the visitors responding with Pedro Neto forcing Pickford into a routine save.

The banks of Everton bodies continued to frustrate and hold Chelsea at bay, and it took until the 26th minute until the first big opportunity arrived.

Great work by Palmer teed up Jackson for a tap-in just yards out, but the England stopper produced a terrific point-black save to keep it goalless.

Maresca’s men were moving through the gears now, and Pickford did well moments later to deny Jackson again after initially almost being caught in no-man's land.

It was starting to get personal between the Everton stopper and Chelsea’s Senegalese striker as the game continued to spark into life.

Though it was the post that came to the rescue of the Toffees and denied Jackson next.

Enzo Fernandez’s corner whizzed through everybody and found Jackson free at the back only for his header to cannon back off the post.

The danger was still not cleared as Malo Gusto fired the rebound wide with Pickford flying at him feet-first to try and stop him - although a VAR check cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Everton's rampant second half

However, it was up the other end that the next action occurred as Sanchez produced a flying diving save to his right.

A rare surge forward from Abdoulaye Doucoure led to him passing it to Orel Mangala to pull the trigger from distance.

Everton, who had just 24 per cent of the ball in the opening period, seemed happy to sit in and try and let Chelsea try play around them.

But they almost caught the visiting Blues out as they made a rampant start to the second half.

And Chelsea had Sanchez to thank for keeping them level as he produced a huge save to smother Jack Harrison’s shot when the winger had been found by Iliman Ndiaye.

Dyche’s men were playing with a lot more belief, and the Goodison faithful responded, rocking up the vocal levels.

Penalty shout

And they were screaming for a penalty when James Tarkowski got his legs tangled with Axel Disasi, and the Toffees skipper gave his rival a mouthful after receiving a nudge from the French international for good measure.

Ashley Young was ruled out of Everton’s Boxing Day trip to Manchester City when he chopped down Jadon Sancho to receive his fifth booking of the season as things continued to get feisty.

Meanwhile, it just was not happening for Palmer, and a free-kick straight at the wall summed up his afternoon on Merseyside.

And as his side continued to snuff out the threat of Chelsea’s talisman, it was Dyche who smelt blood.

With 20 minutes left he made a triple change with Jesper Lindstrom, Beto and Seamus Coleman on for Calvert-Lewin, Harrison and Young.

And Beto and Lindstrom were straight into the action as the latter fired a ball low across the away team’s area.

Chelsea could not clear their lines, and that left Ndiaye racing forward to smash home the loose ball, only for Tosin to make a tremendous goalline block to ensure that they left with their point.

There was still time for Mangala to send Sanchez diving to his right but there would be no late drama as the Toffees secured their fifth goalless draw of the season.

And it might not have been pretty, but that is also four clean sheets out of five as Dyche continues to edge them away from danger.