Everton 3-6 Chelsea

by Mike Wilton

at Goodison Park

Diego Costa started and ended the goal-fest at Goodison Park on Saturday evening, sending Chelsea to the top of the Premier League table, scoring in both the first and the last of the 90.

Everton, having conceded two goals in the last seven minutes against Arsenal last week, continued in that vain by shipping two goals in the first three against a rampant Chelsea, who silenced the home support when Branislav Ivanovic doubled the visitors’ lead before many of the home fans had even found their seats. 

Matters could have been far worse for the hosts, when Tim Howard clearly handled outside the box but was given the benefit of doubt by the officials just eight minutes into the match. 

Chelsea, however, showed their counterparts too much respect and allowed the Toffees back into the game on the stroke of half time with Kevin Mirallas heading in a Seamus Coleman cross.

Coleman inadvertently deflected an Eden Hazard cross into his own net midway through the second half, which started a chaotic 10 minutes in which both sides traded blows.

Steven Naismith struck back immediately, before Nemanja Matic regained the two goal cushion, albeit temporarily as former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o came off the bench to head in on his Everton debut.

Ramires put Chelsea back in control once more, before Costa was gifted his fourth goal of the season after Everton substitute Muhamed Besic backheeled towards his own goal.

Jose Mourinho was still fault finding despite the thrilling victory. “It was wonderful for everyone watching, but not for me,” he said.

“We cannot make so many defensive mistakes,” blasted the Chelsea boss. 

“Today we conceded from a free-kick so I cannot be happy with the ridiculous goal we conceded,” he said, referring to the header from Eto’o, the player Mourinho last season labeled an “old man.”

Everton boss Roberto Martinez, despite his side conceding six goals, seemed more concerned with the attitude of Chelsea’s £32 million signing Costa.

“There are certain foreign players who come to the Premier League who need to understand the ethics and the culture,” said the Spaniard, after his fellow national was booked for an altercation with Coleman. “The last thing you want to see is disrespect from a player to another player and I am sure he will learn that very quickly.”

But with only two points from three games, and ten goals conceded, Martinez did admit that it was time to “get back to basics” for his Everton side, who last season had the third-best defensive record in the league.