EPL: Chelsea Edges Everton 1-0 - Jackson's Strike Boosts Top-Five Hopes

Chelsea defeats Everton 1-0, with Nicolas Jackson's goal extending their unbeaten head-to-head record at Stamford Bridge.

Nicolas Jackson's decisive strike secured a crucial 1-0 win for Chelsea over Everton, keeping their Champions League hopes alive. This victory extended Chelsea's unbeaten head-to-head record at Stamford Bridge to 30 league matches.

Chelsea dominated the game from the start, with Everton's Beto testing Robert Sanchez and the Chelsea defense early on. Despite Everton's efforts, Jackson's goal proved to be the difference-maker, showcasing Chelsea's strong attacking prowess.

The win is vital for Chelsea's top-five aspirations, with the Blues currently in sixth place. Everton, on the other hand, remain 13th in the standings, struggling for form. The match highlighted Chelsea's ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, a key factor in their success this season.

A resolute Everton defence thwarted Chelsea's early attacks, with vital interventions in their own box. However, Chelsea's Noni Madueke managed to bypass Nathan Patterson and unleash a shot that Jordan Pickford palmed wide. The goalkeeper then struggled to secure a free-kick delivery, but Marc Cucurella's follow-up attempt went wide.

Chelsea's breakthrough arrived shortly after, as Trevoh Chalobah won the ball from Beto. Enzo Fernández then found Nicolas Jackson, who scored emphatically into the bottom corner, marking his first goal since mid-December.

Chelsea maintained their attacking pressure after taking the lead. Jake O'Brien blocked Enzo Fernández's shot, while Noni Madueke's header was saved. Meanwhile, Abdoulaye Doucouré had a chance for Everton but failed to capitalize before halftime.

In the second half, Madueke spun Vitaliy Mykolenko in the box, but Jordan Pickford made a crucial save. The goalkeeper then denied Jackson by rushing out to claim Nathan Patterson's underhit backpass.

After the hour mark, Everton's Beto had a scoring opportunity when Jack Harrison found him with a pass. Robert Sánchez made a good save on Beto's strike. Beto was later substituted as part of David Moyes' triple change.

Five PL matches unbeaten ✅
Up to fourth in the table ✅

A big three points for @ChelseaFC 🔵 pic.twitter.com/99gJ5UoLmY

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 26, 2025

Sánchez continued to make crucial saves, including one on Idrissa Gueye's powerful hit. Jordan Pickford also made key stops, denying Noni Madueke and Marc Cucurella. Despite Jackson having a late goal ruled out for offside, Pickford's save on Dwight McNeil's effort sealed the win.

The victory moved Chelsea to fourth place temporarily, setting a positive tone for their upcoming UEFA Conference League semi-final and crucial Premier League matches. For Everton, the loss marked consecutive defeats, with all three losses this season coming against potential Champions League teams.