Chelsea 1-1 Everton: Jarrad Branthwaite equaliser gives Toffees hard-earned point

Chelsea missed a chance to move two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City as a depleted Everton side earned a superb point at Stamford Bridge.

England midfielder Mason Mount gave the hosts a deserved lead in the 70th minute with a calm finish past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford following Reece James' pass.

But Everton equalised four minutes later when 19-year-old defender Jarrad Branthwaite, in his first league appearance of the season, converted at the back post after Anthony Gordon's free-kick.

Thiago Silva had a chance to win it for the hosts but saw his powerful header superbly saved by Pickford.

It was an impressive performance from the England international as he also kept out earlier efforts from Christian Pulisic, James, Jorginho and three strikes from Mount when it was goalless.

Two points dropped for Chelsea, but Everton fight hard for point

Chelsea, aiming to win the Premier League title for the first time since 2016-17, will be left wondering how they failed to get the three points in a match where they had 80% possession and had 23 shots.

The result leaves them third, four points behind leaders City, with Everton staying 14th.

But Rafael Benitez, back at Stamford Bridge after a spell as Chelsea manager in 2012-13, will have been delighted with the effort and desire from his Everton side, who were without 12 players because of injury or illness.

The Spaniard had to make five changes from the weekend, with Demarai Gray, Salomon Rondon and Fabian Delph ruled out because of illness, while Richarlison and Andros Townsend had joined a lengthy injury list, which already included Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tom Davies and Yerry Mina.

That led to Benitez handing a first-team debut to 20-year-old striker Ellis Simms, with Branthwaite making only his second Everton appearance.

Before the match, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed that strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, as well as winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, had tested positive for Covid-19, while another forward, Kai Havertz, was also not in the squad while awaiting a Covid test result.

Chelsea missed those strikers as they were regularly frustrated by Pickford, with Mount and James shooting just wide and the impressive Hakim Ziyech narrowly missed the target on three occasions.

It was a similar situation after the break with Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger all missing chances as the home fans became restless.

Mount's goal settled their nerves but Everton showed superb character to equalise four minutes later with Gordon's free-kick from deep finding Branthwaite, sliding in, to snatch a leveller.

Player of the match

BranthwaiteJarrad Branthwaite

Chelsea

Squad number19Player nameMount

Squad number24Player nameJames

Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva

Squad number2Player nameRüdiger

Squad number16Player nameMendy

Squad number22Player nameZiyech

Squad number10Player namePulisic

Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek

Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta

Squad number5Player nameJorginho

Squad number3Player nameAlonso

Squad number14Player nameChalobah

Squad number18Player nameBarkley

Squad number17Player nameSaúl

Everton

Squad number32Player nameBranthwaite

Squad number1Player namePickford

Squad number24Player nameGordon

Squad number61Player nameDobbin

Squad number22Player nameGodfrey

Squad number5Player nameKeane

Squad number50Player nameSimms

Squad number62Player nameOnyango

Squad number16Player nameDoucouré

Squad number2Player nameKenny

Squad number25Player nameGbamin

Squad number21Player nameAndré Gomes

Squad number4Player nameHolgate

Squad number17Player nameIwobi

Line-ups

Chelsea

Formation 3-4-2-1

16Mendy

28Azpilicueta6Thiago Silva2Rüdiger

24James12Loftus-Cheek5Jorginho3Alonso

19Mount22Ziyech

10Pulisic

Substitutes

Everton

Formation 5-4-1

1Pickford

2Kenny4Holgate5Keane32Branthwaite22Godfrey

17Iwobi16Doucouré21André Gomes24Gordon

50Simms

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Chelsea 1, Everton 1.

Second Half ends, Chelsea 1, Everton 1.

Substitution, Everton. Tyler Onyango replaces Anthony Gordon.

Foul by Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea).

Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Reece James (Chelsea).

Lewis Dobbin (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Jarrad Branthwaite.

Attempt missed. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Reece James with a cross following a set piece situation.

Jorginho (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Anthony Gordon (Everton).

Attempt saved. Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Mason Mount with a cross.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Jordan Pickford.

Attempt saved. Thiago Silva (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ross Barkley with a cross.

Substitution, Chelsea. Trevoh Chalobah replaces César Azpilicueta.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ben Godfrey.

VAR Decision: No Penalty Everton.

Lewis Dobbin (Everton) is shown the yellow card.

Lewis Dobbin (Everton) has gone down, but the referee deems it simulation.

Corner, Everton. Conceded by Thiago Silva.

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