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Everton brought their league campaign to life and abolished Chelsea’s top-of-the-table ambitions with a third straight victory in this match at Goodison Park.
Chelsea came to Merseyside as a strong favorite, but in keeping with this season in defiance of convention, they failed to defeat their tireless opponents.
Everton had entered the October international break with a 100 per cent record in the top flight, but faced 2000 roaring voices at the end of Gwladys Street and the Top Balcony with a lone victory from their previous seven matches.
Carlo Ancelotti was confident that his players would soar by finally having a real soundtrack at Goodison Park again, with any additional advantage welcomed without the injured James Rodriguez and against a Chelsea team aiming to lead the pack.
Sigurdsson scored home the only goal of the game from the point
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The hosts’ offensive powers were already hampered by the absence of assist king Lucas Digne and, with Seamus Coleman still absent, Everton lined up four center halves. Mason Holgate operated as a right back with Ben Godfrey serving on the other flank.
Chelsea, unable to turn to Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi but still with enviable depth of options, struggled to hurt Everton despite possessing the ball.
His lack of penetration in the first 20 minutes was punished by a rare mistake by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
His counterpart Jordan Pickford led a long kick for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to attack and the forward managed to launch it.
He chased after him, but Mendy compromised and crashed into Everton’s focal point. A penalty was awarded which Sigurdsson nonchalantly dispatched, sat Mendy down, and then rolled the ball in the opposite direction.
Going behind shocked Chelsea, desperate for a first Goodison win in four seasons, with Reece James testing Pickford twice in quick succession.
His free kick from afar was parried by the home keeper and his deflected shot was magnificently pushed into the post by England’s No. 1.
Kurt Zouma then shot directly at Pickford and as Chelsea pushed for the tie, Everton had room to break through.
Sigurdsson provided a pass for the first time to unleash Richarlison down the left, who moved inside to the edge of the box and appeared to slip as he sent a low shot that was parried by an equally unbalanced Mendy.
It wasn’t the result that Lampard wanted
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Half came to an end with more fouls than fluent football; Mason Mount was fortunate not to be booked for pushing Yerry Mina to Pickford. N’Golo Kante did see yellow for his late entry on Allan.
Chelsea started the 45th start with the same fire after conceding. Mount’s smart chip to catch a retreating Pickford landed on the roof of the net.
Havertz saw a shot blocked by Mina, before Everton chained a period of pressure. Richarlison’s snapshot was well handled by Mendy, before Calvert-Lewin had a frustrated shot and Sigurdsson went a little further with a 25-yard free throw.
After the hour, Chelsea were frustrated by the work of the hosts without the ball and had to thank the VAR for not conceding another unnecessary penalty.
Ben Chilwell collided with Calvert-Lewin and referee Jonathan Moss signaled the spot, but the forward was called offside.
In a tense fight, reserves flowed and the variety of attacking talents on the field failed to find any sustained rhythm.
Havertz was unable to replicate Ziyech’s creativity for Chelsea and was removed by Tammy Abraham. It was Mount who still posed the biggest threat to the visitors and his free throw at the end of the cannon went off the post, and Pickford did not approach him as he initially bet on the ball going in the opposite direction.
Oliver Giroud crashed into the nearby post, but nothing was going to give for Chelsea. Everton’s work was warmly applauded by their fans and was the tonic that Ancelotti had wanted.
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