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Blues Survive Toffees Test (Sky Sports)
Everton 0 Chelsea 0
The Blues relinquish their 100 per cent away record and miss the opportunity to
sit top of the Premier League table at Christmas, while the Toffees remain in
the European hunt despite their failure to breach 10-men.
The hosts began the game in the more positive fashion, making a mockery of their
failings on home turf this season.
However, despite Phil Neville and Marouane Fellaini keeping Petr Cech on his
toes, the Chelsea rearguard was rarely threatened.
The Blues then grew in confidence as the half wore on, with Joe Cole causing
panic on more than one occasion.
It was, though, on 35 minutes that the game suddenly sprang to life, with Terry
dismissed for a reckless challenge on Leon Osman.
The England skipper's lunge on the Toffees midfielder was high and late, leaving
referee Phil Dowd with no option but to brandish a red card.
Unsurprisingly, David Moyes' men dominated proceedings after the break, with the
Chelsea goalmouth living a charmed existence.
Fellaini sent another header straight at Cech, while Tony Hibbert saw an
attempted cross flick off Frank Lampard and come agonisingly close to finding
the top corner.
Leighton Baines' 80th minute cross deserved a final touch, but no blue shirt was
on hand to provide it.
Then, with five minutes left on the clock, Everton thought they had forced a
breakthrough as Steven Pienaar bundled the ball over the line following an
almighty scramble in the six-yard box.
However, the linesman's flag cut the celebrations short and both sides were
forced to settle for a point after an enthralling night of action on Merseyside.
Control
Everton were able to produce some neat movement with their enforced line-up and
Cech was forced to deal with a dipping Mikel Arteta free-kick, while two Osman
crosses from the right created opportunities for Tim Cahill and Fellaini in the
box.
But slowly Chelsea began to take control, maintaining possession with crisp
passing as they forced Everton back.
Nicolas Anelka hit a post from close range, but was adjudged to have handled in
the build-up.
Chelsea had a firm grip on proceedings, but the game changed dramatically after
35 minutes when Terry was red-carded.
Referee Phil Dowd was no more than 15 yards from a Terry challenge that was high
and caught Osman on the ankle. In the current climate, the official probably
felt he had to act decisively.
Terry was damned because he lunged in, and his foot - and the connection with
Osman - was off the ground.
Terry's last red card for a foul on Manchester City striker Jo was rescinded but
he is unlikely to be so lucky this time. He is now set to miss the Christmas
matches against West Brom and Fulham, plus the FA Cup tie with Southend.
Chelsea were predictably furious, and in the minutes after the flashpoint, Frank
Lampard and Ashley Cole were booked for dissent.
Adventurous
Chelsea sent on defender Branislav Ivanovic for Joe Cole at the break, while
Didier Drogba replaced Anelka.
Everton, though, must have felt that this was the best chance in eight years to
register a win against the Stamford Bridge club.
But they needed to be more adventurous. Two minutes into the second period they
were just that when Fellaini got on the end of a long Hibbert pass to test Cech.
But then Everton lost defender Joseph Yobo, who limped off with what looked like
a hamstring injury. Leighton Baines came on after 61 minutes, with Joleon
Lescott moving to central defence.
Cech had to hurl himself backwards to touch away a Hibbert cross deflected
dangerously under the bar off Lampard, and a minute later Cech was needed at his
best again to touch over a Joleon Lescott header.
Baines then fired in a low cross from the left, and Fellaini's flick went just
wide of the far post. Arteta then curled a free-kick just over the bar.
Everton were denied a goal with five minutes left when Cech touched away an
Osman shot from Fellaini's cross. The goalkeeper managed to get his hands on to
the ball as it rolled towards the line, seconds before Pienaar arrived to bundle
the ball home.
Referee Dowd ruled out the goal, deciding that Cech had control of the ball
before it was kicked out of his hands.
Everton
Team Statistics
Chelsea
0
Goals
0
0
1st Half Goals
0
6
Shots on Target
1
4
Shots off Target
4
2
Blocked Shots
5
6
Corners
5
17
Fouls
12
1
Offsides
3
0
Yellow Cards
3
0
Red Cards
1
76.7
Passing Success
78.3
18
Tackles
21
77.8
Tackles Success
71.4
47.2
Possession
52.8
54.8
Territorial Advantage
45.2
Teams
Everton
Howard,
Hibbert, Yobo (Baines 61), Jagielka, Lescott, Neville, Osman, Arteta, Fellaini,
Pienaar, Cahill
Chelsea
Cech,
Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A. Cole, Mikel, J. Cole (Ivanovic 45), Ballack, Lampard,
Deco (Bridge 88), Anelka (Drogba 45)
Attendance 35,655
Referee
P. Dowd
Subs Not Used Nash, Van der
Meyde, Rodwell, Jutkiewicz, Gosling, Kissock
Booked
Goals
Subs Not
Used
Cudicini, Belletti, Malouda, Kalou
Booked
Lampard, A.
Cole, Ballack
Sent Off
Terry
Goals